You Owe Me
by Siamese2005
Summary: It has been three years since the movie and Beetlejuice is finally out of the waiting room.  He wants revenge and he still wants out so he captures Lydia, bringing her into the Neitherworld. What he didnt expect was to fall in love with her...I'M ALL DONE
1. Chapter 1

(Well, here is a Beetlejuice fan fiction! I love Beetlejuice, especially the show! It cracks me up, ah, the good ol' days. Well, of course, I do not own Beetlejuice or Lydia or the Maitlands etc, etc. If I did, the movie would have a sequel and the show never would have ended. Bwahahahahaha! Also, I know in the movie Lydia was sixteen's but for story purposes lets just say she was fourteen? K? K! Ok, enough jibber jabber, on with the story! Enjoy!)

Lydia stared out the window, Ms. Shannon's voice putting her in a day dream. It started out well enough, she dreamt of Barbara and Adam and the first time she had met them. The poor couple had tried so hard to scare her and her crazy family out of the Maitland homestead. Lydia grinned. With no success of course. The poor ghosts had been through so much. Just as she had made friends with the two, her crazy stepmother and Otho had almost exorcized them! At that memory a cackle and two emerald orbs flashed in her mind. Lydia's heart skipped a beat in fear. _Him_.

"Beetlejuice…"

The crazy, manipulative poltergeist she had tricked into saving her dear friends. A familiar pang of guilt hit her before quickly vanishing. He was gone for good and good riddance! He was dirty, foul and…and…

"Lydia!"

Lydia jumped out of her dream, startled, to see Ms Shannon glaring angrily at her. Lydia flushed with embarrassment as everyone around her began to snicker. Before the teacher could scold her, the bell rang and Lydia grabbed her books and rushed out the door.

"Hey Deetz, get up on the wrong side of the coffin?" Snickered Clare, flipping her blonde hair.

Lydia glared at the girl, she was about to say something in retort when a handsome young boy with dark blonde hair came up behind Clare, placing an arm around her slim shoulders.

"Yeah Deetz, did the vampire clan kick you out of their club?"

Lydia stared at them like they were crazy before brushing past them. Unfortunately, she was never able to think of a witty comment to defend herself with. Not at the right time anyway.

Sighing, Lydia jumped on her bike and headed for home.

Once home, Lydia ran up to the attic, hoping to be able to talk to her surrogate parents, to talk to someone who would understand.

"I'm home!" She shouted happily, throwing her backpack onto the attic floor.

When no one answered, Lydia looked around, confused. There, on a dusty coffee table was a note addressed to her.

Lydia,

Juno needed to speak with us. We will see you tonight. We love you!

The Maitlands

Lydia sighed. Well, she had homework to do anyway. Picking up her backpack, she went down to her room and sat at her vanity-turned-desk. Tapping her pencil, Lydia tried to concentrate on the task at hand. Suddenly the temperature decreased a great deal. Confused, Lydia looked up at her mirror, which was swirling clockwise in an array of colors. Lydia frowned.

"What the…" She mumbled.

An awfully familiar cackle filled the room, stopping her heart in fear. It couldn't be…

"Beetlejuice…" She stuttered.

The temperature dropped some more, causing Lydia to rub her arms in an attempt to warm herself. The mirror sparked and Lydia jumped back, landing flat on her back. When she glanced back up there were two jade orbs glaring at her through a tuft of blonde hair.

"Beetlejuice!" She cried before covering her mouth in horror.

The figure gave a feral grin.

"That was three…" He hissed before stepping out of her mirror onto her vanity.

Lydia shook, hating herself for showing the unexpected weakness.

"W-what…how…"

Beetlejuice narrowed his eyes at the girl who had betrayed him almost three years ago.

"YOU!" He hissed. "Do you _know_ how long I had to wait in that STINKING waiting room?? We had a DEAL kid!"

Fire billowed from the poltergeist's hands.

"BEETLEJUICE! BEETLEJUICE! B-"

Beetlejuice cupped a hand over her small mouth, leaning in close, his lips grazing her ear.

"Not that again, Babes. From now on you will no longer be able to say my name in hate…so you can never send me back." He chuckled cynically.

Lydia's eyes widened in fear, tearing slightly with unshed tears. She was doomed. She had cursed him back to the Netherworld and now he was back for revenge…and she couldn't use the one thing that had been able to save her before.

Beetlejuice stared at her a moment, taking in her large brown eyes then the rest of her features, which in contrast were quite small. He frowned slightly. He thought this was the same kid who had ruined his afterlife. It had to be. This was the same house…and she knew who he was and she definitely feared him. He backed up slightly so he could see all of her. She was the same yet different. He couldn't quite place it. She wasn't wearing quite as much make up and her hair was down, framing her delicate face, instead of up and in disarray.

'She grew up dumb ass.' He hissed inwardly. 'It _has_ been almost three years.'

Beetlejuice narrowed his eyes once more. Yes, it HAD been three years. Three years of slow torture in that dang waiting room! Then he had to face the wrath of Juno who insisted that he was FORCING the kid to marry him. Hey! She had made a deal with him! He wasn't _forcing _her per se, he was just making sure she kept up her end of the bargain.

Suddenly Beetlejuice realized that the kid was no longer in the room and that she was running towards the attic screaming those bumpkins' names. Beetlejuice grumbled as he snapped his fingers, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

"ADAM! BARBARA! HELP ME! IT'S B-B-GA!!"

Lydia screamed. She couldn't say his name! The dang poltergeist had cast some kind of spell…he hadn't been joking. She couldn't send him back!!

Just as Lydia had reached the top of the stairs, Beetlejuice reappeared in a foggy mist, leaning casually against the door frame, his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.

"What are you doing, Babes? You can't escape me."

With that he reached out and grabbed Lydia by the wrist and pulled her into the porthole that a snap of his fingers had created.

"LET GO OF ME!!!" She screamed, hoping someone would hear her. But no one did.

_IN THE NEITHERWORLD_

Beetlejuice dropped the dark haired girl onto the floor of his homestead, the Roadhouse. Lydia, now furious, stood up, her face red from anger and her hair sticking every which way.

"HOW DARE YOU!" She hissed, her breath coming in angry puffs.

Beetlejuice just walked away from her when the front door burst open to reveal a skeleton with a pencil-thin mustache and exorcise clothes adorning him. Lydia blinked.

"Be-atlejuice! What 'ave you done?? How many timez do I have to tell you not to bring random ghoulz to zis place!"

Lydia blinked again.

'Ghoul? She wasn't a ghoul! She was a living, breathing person!'

"Hey you!" She snapped. "I am NOT a ghoul! I-"

"Babes…" Came the low, warning growl of her captor.

Lydia spun around and glared daggers.

"This THING," She snapped pointing at the supposed 'Ghost with the most'. "Has taken me hostage!"

The skeleton's eye sockets grew.

"Mais Non! Be-atlejuice! You cannot treat a lady like zis!"

"Can it bone head." Beetlejuice snapped as he walked towards Lydia. "There is more to this story and I do not feel like sharing. So if you would excuse me, me and my _ghoul _have some unfinished business."

"NO!" Lydia screamed as she reached for the skeleton. "Please! Listen to me! I am NOT a-"

Beetlejuice covered her mouth with his hand once more, hissing into her ear.

"Idiot! If anyone finds out you aren't a ghost they will make you one!"

Lydia froze for a moment in shock, which was just enough time for Beetlejuice to maneuver her into his bedroom.

Lydia immediately grabbed the lamp near the coffin and chucked it at her captor. Beetlejuice dodged it, glaring at her. Lydia reached for something else to throw when she felt herself being slammed against the wall, Beetlejuice covering her completely. Lydia fought an angry blush as he hissed.

"You wanted in Babes. Now you're in and you are going to see what Hell you put me back in to!"

Lydia struggled to get from his grasp.

"GET OFF!" She shouted, finding the courage to stand up to him.

Beetlejuice bared his teeth angrily at her as she backed away from him.

"Look, you're dead! Why the heck do you want out so badly?!" She snapped, trying to reason with the poltergeist.

Beetlejuice's chest began to heave as if he were taking large, aggravated breaths, his eyes narrowing.

"You think I belong here?" He hissed.

"No." She snapped. "I think you belong in Hell."

Beetlejuice began to glow, blue fire consuming his body as he clenched his fists, blonde hair billowing around him.

"You better watch it little girl."

Lydia screamed in surprise as an invisible force grabbed her around her waist and threw her into the bedroom, a large padlock appearing, locking her inside the room.

"Ugh." Screamed Lydia, before plopping down to sit with her arms crossed over her chest on the bed, an angry scowl on her face.

"Just who in the _hell_ does he think he is?!" She fumed to no on in particular.

"The ghost with most huh, more like the _Ghost with the most selfishness!" _She spat bitterly, hoping he would hear her through the door.

She plopped down on the bed, her raven black hair framing her pale face over the covers.

"You talkin' to _me_ about selfish toots? I gave you what you wanted and you left me out in the cold-- out in the waiting room anyways." Beetlejuice's face materialized in the ceiling, his features looking angry though his voice sounded more stung then bitter.

"You tried to take advantage of the situation! You tried to take advantage of me! I was just a little girl, I didn't know what any of that really meant and you knew that when you asked me, you didn't want to marry me! You just wanted out of this place, you just were looking out for you, just like you're doing now you jerk. You want me to stay here, then fine, this is MY house now, and you can get out of MY room!" Spat Lydia, throwing a pillow at Beetlejuice, who dematerialized out of the ceiling just before it hit.

"YOUR house!" Beetlejuice laughed through the locked door. "I'm sorry kid, but this is MY house and you are my HOSTAGE. You are going to stay in that room until I say so!"

From inside the room Lydia gasped.

"You can't keep me locked in here! Unlike you I need to eat!"

Beetlejuice laughed. "Oh don't worry, I wont let you die…that would be too easy for you. I'll feed you…but only if you ask for it."

Lydia fumed.

"WHO SAYS I WILL!"

Beetlejuice chuckled.

"Because I know you don't want to die…"

"Death would be better the being stuck with a _Jerk_ for eternity!"

"Hey, look at the bright side, if you died you wouldn't have far to go now wouldja?"

Lydia blinked. He was joking with her now…

"I hate you…"

Beetlejuice inwardly sighed, slightly hurt but he easily hid it with the rest of the emotions that he never let surface.

"Awww, such strong feelings for me already toots? And we're just getting started!"

"No, I--"  
"Tell you what," he cut her off "You're right, I shouldn't keep you locked up in here."  
Lydia stared dubiously at the sound of his voice, waiting for the other shoe to drop.  
"What I really should do is take you out tonight, you know show you off to everyone, and who knows, later you might get lucky."

Lydia's face turned bright red as she squeaked in surprise. Did he actually think she would EVER sleep with him?????

"NO!!" She snapped, slightly scared. "I'll stay in here! Here is good!"

"No, No, I insist my dear!" He said proudly, the door flinging open to frame him wearing a tattered, but oddly appropriate tuxedo. Or at least it looked like it might have once been a tuxedo.

Lydia squeaked again as she looked down and noticed she was wearing a tattered black dress with a red spider web cowl. She looked up, eyes wide in horror. He was either leering or sneering at her, but she wasn't quite sure which. Gulping, Lydia jumped off the bed and ran to a corner of the room, leaning against the wall.

"Stay away from me you freak!"

"Oh come on now, I couldn't ever force a lady."

His leer turned a little nasty.  
"Of course, that wouldn't apply here would it? Considering a lady wouldn't break her promises, would she?"

Lydia's mouth dropped, blinking. Not sure how to respond she was in so much shock. Instead, she scrunched up her face in aggravation and glared at him.

Asshole…

Beetlejuice mentally cursed himself as he saw that his words had actually really hurt her feelings this time. He told himself that it wasn't his fault though, because she was the one who had broken her word. If she thought it was ok for her to take his help then make him sit in a waiting room for three years without any hurt feelings, well…  
But then again, it did strange things to him to see her so upset…

"All right fine. You don't want to go, but you don't want to stay either. Typical woman, never knowing what she wants, making the man make all the decisions. Fine. We'll have a party here then. You'll just have to wait for me while I go out to get a few things."  
Lydia heard the clanking of pots and pans and the clatter of the multitude of rubbish that she had seen littering Beetlejuice's house earlier.  
"And to clean up the place I guess. "  
Beetlejuice's head popped through the door, startling Lydia.  
"I have a great idea! You can set up the place for me while I go out shopping! It'll be great!"

"You want me to _what?_ I will NOT do your housework you Jerk! I'm not your maid!"  
"Oh? Then why do you dress like that? I mean the kids at school must make fun of you."  
Lydia looked down to find that replacing her dress this time was a black and white maid's outfit, with a spider web lace skirt. Spider webs complete with their own spiders. Ew.  
Flicking a spider off her skirt and sending it squealing into the other room, Lydia yelled "I AM NOT GOING TO CLEAN YOUR HOUSE FOR YOU!"  
Instead of being upset, Beetlejuice's face broke into a huge grin.  
"That's the spirit, There's hope for you yet toots! I'll be back soon, so don't long for me too much!"

Lydia screamed and stomped her foot in frustration, not knowing what else to do.

"YOU ARE IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed to his retreating figure.

When he was gone Lydia began to kick and throw things skittering across the floor. She had managed to break the small coffee table and knock over numerous amounts of lamps, shattering their bulbs. Beetles squealed for their very lives as the crazy human girl went on a rampage. Finding a rack of old, rusted wine bottles, Lydia pushed it over, sending the bottles crashing across the floor, their contents flooding the room slightly. Breathing heavily, Lydia blinked as she noticed a small door on the wall where the wine glasses had been.

"What the…" She wondered.

(Cliffie! Dun dun dun! Lol, I hope it doesn't completely suck and that you are at least enjoying it a little bit. R&R pweeze! Reviews make me happy!)


	2. Chapter 2

(Here's Chapter Two!)

Looking behind her to make sure no one was watching, she slowly opened the door. As soon as the door was open a huge gust of wind wrapped around her and drug her in, screaming in surprise. Before she knew it she landed roughly on what felt like cobblestone. Shaking her head, Lydia looked up to see a bunch of ghosts and random beasts bustling about her, some were even holding shopping bags. Lydia blinked. She didn't know where she was but at least she was the hell out of _his _house. Standing up, She began to run down the street, trying to get as far away from _him _as possible.

She ran, confused, angry and upset, trying to ignore as much of her surroundings as possible.

What was worse then the capricious attitude that Beetlejuice held toward her was the fact that she didn't understand why she even cared what he thought of her. She should just want to get the hell away from here and from _him_, and she did, but at the same time part of her didn't want to do it this way. She would never admit it to Beetlejuice, or anyone else for that matter, but just running away like this made her feel the smallest bit guilty, as bizarre as the thought seemed to her. Why in the world should she feel guilty about running away from that asshole? If anyone should be feeling guilty it should be Beetlejuice.

BEETLEJUICE! Recognition hit her, just before she hit him, running full speed and knocking them both to the floor, his bags and most of a display case falling to the floor in a tumble.

"EEP!" She squeaked as she immediately got up and began running. She didn't know where she was going but she was certainly going there as fast as her long, legs would take her!

"What? Huh? How-She-Run-Bags-Girl-Supposed-Cleaning-House… DAMN THAT DOOR!" Beetlejuice stammered before turning to give chase.

"GET BACK HERE!" He snapped as he flew after her.

"NO! NO! NO!" She screamed, trying to run faster.

Beetlejuice flew right up behind her, reaching for her.

"THAT IS SO NOT FAIR!" She screamed as she dodged and skid to the right, causing him to fly right into a pole, splitting him into two halves.

"Oh, pull yourself together man." He grunted, fusing back into his normal self as he took off after her once more.

Sensing him hot on her trail, Lydia began running for the woods that she had just spotted.

"Baaaaaaabes!" Beetlejuice wined behind her.

Gasping, Lydia hid behind a large tree, covering her mouth, hoping he would not here her.

A couple minutes went by and he still had not spotted her, but she could still hear him. Backing up closer to the tree, hoping that would somehow keep her safe. As soon as she touched the tree it moved.

"What the heck do you think you're doing Miss?" The tree spoke, looking at her with as it raised piece of bark she supposed was his eyebrow.

"SH!" She hissed.

The tree tilted as if it was cocking it's head to reveal Beetlejuice glaring at her.

"Uh oh…" She mumbled before running again.

She didn't get very far though before his long fingers had wrapped themselves around her wrist.

"LET ME GO!" She screamed.

Beetlejuice jerked her backwards so that she fell onto her behind. Growling, Lydia pulled him down as well, shocking him. While he was down, Lydia jumped to her feet and began to run but then went back, stomped on his "Ahem" parts, then ran off again.

Beetlejuice laid on the ground, rolling in pain his hands on his bruised crotch.

"You ok there buddy?" Asked the tree in a woody voice.  
"no." Squeaked Beetlejuice, his voice several octaves higher then normal.  
"Oh… Well you want some wood?"

"Oh, god no… I don't want to even think about that right now." Squeaked Beetlejuice, earning himself a confused look from the tree who didn't understand.

Oh that little… Beetlejuice thought to himself, now that the blinding pain had lessened to a dull ache. Oh she was so going to pay for that indignity, she was going to pay dearly! He would keep her locked up for a week! A month! The ache intensified, causing Beetlejuice to roll again, moaning loudly.

Forget that, for this he was going to lock her in a room full of sandworms for forever! He shivered… uuugh. Sandworms. He twitched at the thought.

"Come on-- Cough Come on now, Beetlejuice, you're the ghost with the most! Cant let a little girl beat you up." He said to himself.  
"So you don't want any wood?" The tree asked again, lowering a dying branch to show to Beetlejuice. "Cuz, I've been working on this nice one here I have. You could use it as a walking stick or a --"  
"Can it Timber-boy, I'll take that off your… well I'll take it, now that you offer it… I know just how to use it too."

Lydia ran frantically through the woods, hoping that Beetlejuice was enjoying her parting gift. She was so focused on putting as much ground between him and her, that she didn't even notice her passing was waking all the trees around her, leaving a trail of open eyes in her wake.

None of the trees were terribly surprised that Beetlejuice (they knew him because he used to go for walks in the woods when he got bored… or needed some firewood) managed to finally catch up with this strange girl in her odd maid outfit. Though they were surprised at the squeaking noise she made when she tripped over the branch he threw in front of her, causing her to fall into his waiting arms.

"Hey there babe, you falling for me already?"

Lydia looked up at him, tears of frustration clouding her eyes though she desperately tried to hide them. Beetlejuice narrowed his eyes at her.

"That was a dirty little stunt you pulled, kid." He hissed. "I told you to stay in the house."

Lydia frowned and started to struggle, trying to free herself. Beetlejuice only tightened his hold on her, pulling her closer which caused her to blush against her will.

"Get off me…" She grumbled, pushing against his chest.

"No, I am going to drag your sorry ass back to the house and you are going to stay there!"

Lydia thrashed, trying to kick at him again.

"I'm not staying! I'll get back out! I swear!"

Beetlejuice shook his head.

"No…because I'm going to get rid of that damn door…and you are going to be locked inside that house until I say so."

Lydia stared at him, eyes wide as the tears came back. She just wanted to go home. Never before had she wanted to see her father and Delia so much.

"Hey now kid, cut the waterworks. If anyone here should be upset it's me… Both for my bruised ego and my bruised… well, you should know what."

Beetlejuice, paused to pull out a sickeningly greenish handkerchief which, despite her cringing at the sight of it, he used to dab her eyes and cheeks with.

"Look, I'll level with ya'. I like ya, and all but I'm not to sure about this marriage stuff myself. Got a reputation as a studly bachelor to maintain you know," He said with a half-kidding leer at her, "but I'm a nice guy, so I'll make a deal with you, assuming you'll keep this one," he added with at look.

"If you can figure out another way of getting me out of this place and back up to the real world for good, I'll let you go. Until then, you, sweet cheeks, are my ticket out of here."

Lydia sighed as she wiped her cheeks.

"First of all…ew…second of all we aren't married…third of all, reputation? Studly bachelor? Ha. Lastly…are you serious? You'll never bother me again?"

She looked at him, her brown eyes softening.

"Hey now, don't look at me like that toots, people will start to think ole' Beetlejuice's gone soft." As if to emphasize his point, she felt a moment of panic as he started to melt into a puddle at her feet. Well a puddle with a face anyway.

Lydia couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as a chuckle came forth.

Despite himself, Beetlejuice smiled back up at her.

"So, how's about's that date?"

Lydia put her hands on her hips.

"No. But I promise to help you." She leaned down, her smile growing into a genuine smile. "But you have to promise me you wont hurt anyone once you're out…and you take me home when this is all said and done."

"Tell you what. Not only will I make that promise to you, I'll do you one more."  
"What's that?" She hesitantly asked.  
"I'll keep it too." He brazenly goaded, going so far to wink at her as he reformed into his normal self in front of her.

Lydia stood up and began walking away. Before she got too far, she turned around, a soft smile on her face and even in her eyes.

"I promise to keep it too." She whispered before turning back around, her back to him.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" He asked, somehow in front of her when she turned around, shocking her.

Lydia shrugged, playing to be nonchalant.

"You heard me." With that she grabbed the stupid top hat that he was still wearing from the tuxedo and ran off.

"Oh, you little…" Beetlejuice let the words trail off as he once again gave chase. If nothing else, Lydia was hard to catch.

Lydia, laid on the bed, thinking about how in the world she was going to be able to get Beetlejuice out of the Ghost world. Other then agreeing to marry him, which wasn't going to happen, she laughed, the thought not seeming as ridiculous as she thought it should. The problem was that she didn't know enough about the rules to devise an alternative plan, and she couldn't exactly leave the house to go do research.

She sighed in frustration. Everything told her that she was stuck here until Beetlejuice got back from wherever in the heck he had gone so she could ask him some more questions.

She looked around the room again for the thousandth time. Since she had agreed to help him, Beetlejuice had said that she was allowed to go wherever it was in the house that she liked. Just God help her if he caught her going through random doors, or, apparently, making anything _clean_. He had nearly scared her to death when he yelled at her for cleaning up the bedroom (which he had let her use by herself, preferring to sleep with his rubbish in the front room, even though he'd made a comment about already having her in his bed) but so far she hadn't been able to find anything that was even remotely of use. Plenty of empty cans though, oddly enough, now that she thought about it, considering that Beetlejuice didn't need to eat or drink. Maybe they were comforting to him, she thought.

Finally rolling over so that her head dangled off the edge of the bed, she noticed that there was an oddly shaped knothole in the floor boards.

"What's this?" she asked of no one in particular, as she crawled over to pull up at the board which slid away easily enough, revealing a box hidden under the floor.

"Huh. Wonder what he's so keen to keep hidden?" She asked, a part of her wanting to leave whatever it was alone, because, well it was rude. But her curiosity vastly out burned her guilt, so up and open came the box, revealing wealth of dusty leather backed tomes.

"Why would he hide books?" She asked again, pulling out a large red book and blowing on its cover to reveal the words "Rules and Regulations" printed on the front of it in golden letters.

"Well this is oddly convenient." She said, putting the book to the side, just as Beetlejuice burst through the door.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" He exclaimed, throwing the box back into the hole and sealing it shut with a hasty motion.

"I don't go through your private stuff do I? I would have thought that you'd be a little more respectable-like then to do a thing like that."

Lydia stared up at him, eyes wavering in shock.

"I-I'm sorry…I didn't know. I was just trying to help…"

"Well if you wanna' help you can either agree to marry me already, or you can find another way out for me."

Lydia stood up, frowning slightly.

"What do you think I was doing? Beej, I don't know anything about this place! For me, any little bit of information could be of help."

Beetlejuice blinked, his mouth opened slightly.

"Wh-what did you just call me?" He asked, shocked at the oddly sweet nickname that she had called him.

Lydia blinked.

"Well…I…Beej? Do you not like that? What am I supposed to call you? Thanks to you I can't call you the B-word."

"Hey don't you go blaming all your problems on me now. You got yourself-and me- into this mess and you can get us out of it. But if you wanna call me Beej, that'll work I guess. I wouldn't want you to call me 'Juice' anyways, I'm not that scary." He shivered a the thought.

Lydia grinned playfully.

"How's 'Asshole'?"

"How's sleeping in pit of sandworms tonight?" He asked in the same smart-alec tone she used to him.

Lydia walked up to him and patted his shoulder, something that he wasn't expecting.

"No thanks. I already told you I wasn't sleeping with you."

Despite his attempt at keeping a good nature about things, at this his eyes narrowed.

"Oh really? Because here I was thinking that tonight I might finally give you what you've been longing for."

He drew himself up, posing for her in what he thought was a macho pose, flexing his muscles but seeming hilariously incongruent considering his tattered attire.

"It's ok to want it toots, there's plenty to go around." He leered at her, his grin making her cringe. "And if you're really nice to me, there might just be enough left for you when I get back too."

Lydia raised an eyebrow, smiling playfully, enjoying this game despite what she told herself.

"I'm swooning." She said sarcastically. "Sorry to inform you Beej, but the boys in my class are better than you."

"Yeah?" He asked incredibly, "Betcha' none of them are have the stud muffin I am." He said, turning into a giant muffin with a bull's head and neck sticking out of it.

Lydia blinked.

"Nope, I have to say…" She goaded. "They're much better looking.

Lydia grinned, hoping she was getting to him. "And they have great bodies…and they smell really good too."

"Oh, well then, I guess I have nothing to worry about then do I? You admit I'm better."

Lydia shook her head.

"No Beej, I like THEM better." She goaded, grinning at him through her eyelashes.

"Ya' what?" He said, confusion evident on his face.

Lydia faked to look up dreamily. "Yea…there's one in particular that I happen to be very fond of." She lied through her teeth.

"Huh. What he's got that I don't?"

Lydia looked up at him, not knowing she would later regret what she would say next.

" A heartbeat, for one."

Beetlejuice, despite himself, looked honestly crestfallen, his pride shattering visibly.

"A heartbeat… who'd want one of those anyway. Useless things hearts." His voice and body deflating as he turned to leave the room. "Glad I don't have one anymore." His tone belying the words.

"They aren't useless…with a heart you can love…no one has loved me before, and I want someone to. And I know someone with a heart could." Lydia looked away sadly. "I just hope I find him."

Lydia was surprised she had confided that to anyone, let alone Beetlejuice. But she had felt so bad about what she had said she felt she should say something to make him feel better, though she wasn't quite sure why she thought that would.

Beetlejuice looked at her sadly, before turning to leave her alone, his head hung low.

If she wanted someone with a heartbeat, let alone a heart, that left him out now didn't it, he thought dejectedly. Again, he didn't know why he cared, but part of him was hoping when he finally got married that, just maybe, he might find out what this love thing was that everyone kept going on about was, and now he was sure that would never happen with Lydia, but he wanted to get out of this place more then anything else, and if that was the way things went, then that's just how the cookie crumbles. Besides, he thought, there's other fish out there, right? Surely he could find someone who wasn't so choosy, especially about a silly thing like love or a heartbeat.

"Right?" he asked the air around him, his head in his hands, looking out onto the road from his porch.

(I love their little "arguments", they make me giggle. :-D And the trees, love the trees.)


	3. Chapter 3

(Thank you for the reviews! I am glad you like it so far! Here's Chapter Three, it is a nice long one for you!)

Lydia looked around the house, Ginger and Jacques had just left with some of their belongings. Apparently since she had arrived they had found a place to stay until things were all cleared up with Beetlejuice. She sighed. She wished they were here though, she got lonely throughout the day. Beetlejuice was home most of the time but he locked himself in a room doing who knows what. She sighed. He didn't seem to like to leave her alone, she figured it was because he feared she would run away again. Today, however, he said he had something important to do and that he would be back shortly. Before he left he had made a huge point that she not go anywhere and he had locked the front door from the outside. Lydia grinned. However, the doofus had forgotten to lock the back door.

Grumbling, Lydia walked outside, needing to get some fresh air, if you could call the air around here fresh. She had been here going on five days and she still had not found anything on how to help Beetlejuice. Her heart skipped a beat. And if she didn't find out how soon she would have to, gulp, marry him.

Lydia sat down in a patch of what she hoped was grass and began to play with the little dandelion-things that were sprinkled across the lawn.

Grumbling to himself something about overpaid holy men, Beetlejuice walked back in, happy to see that the lock was still on the front like he had left it. Unlocking it and swinging it open "Honey, I'm home!" he proudly announced.

Not hearing a response he looked a little worried, but carried on louder, thinking that maybe Lydia hadn't heard him.

"Hey toots, I said I'm home. You could at least offer me a drink or something after such a long day."

Looking around, and not seeing Lydia anywhere, he began to freak out, rushing to the door he had bolted shut, finding it still sealed tight.

"THAT DAMN GIRL. DAMN WOMEN. CANT TRUST EM' WORTH A FRIGGIN LICK!" He swore, throwing the small book he was carrying at the wall where it hit with a slam.

"Can't trust who Beej?" Lydia asked softly from the front door, having heard him screaming and rushing around to check what was the matter.

He stared at her with an incredulous look on his face.

"You…door… locked, how, outside, now tell me!" he spat out all out once, holding her by the shoulders and demanding an answer.

"You left the back door unlocked!" She said, her eyes wide in a startled expression.

Doh. He thought to himself, closing his eyes and beating his forehead into the wall, causing Lydia to have to dodge dust and debris falling from the ceiling.

She could have left, and she hadn't, he thought, staring at her. Maybe she'd keep this promise, he dared to hope. Heck, maybe he'd finally make it out of this place!

Suddenly he felt something on his forehead. He jumped to see Lydia brushing off some of the debris on his forehead from where he had banged it against the wall.

"Are you ok?" She asked, genuinely concerned and confused.

"Uh. Yeah?" He said brightly, not quite knowing how to respond to kindness.

He looked at her again, but instead of feeling his normal possessiveness or even his normal apathy, he felt.. Well he felt… Whatever it was it was a warm feeling, and it was strange to him. Unfamiliar, but reminding him of something long, long forgotten, something that nagged at the corners of his mind, and made him think of warm fires, food, kisses and soft sheets. Wow, he really needed to get out of here, he thought, he was starting to go crazy! It was enough to make him think that he was starting to have feelings! Ha!

He laughed after staring in silence for a moment, again startling Lydia. He seemed to be good at that.

Lydia cocked her head. He must be losing it.

"Uhm…BJ?" She whispered, calling him a new nickname. "Are you going to let me go now?"

"Um. I don't think so. No. I think my hands'll stay right where they are."

When she pushed herself away from him, his hands did indeed stay where they were, but they parted from the rest of him.

Lydia raised her eyebrows at him.

"Well…if you insist." She grinned before falling back against the walls, crushing his hands.

"Awwwww!" Beetlejuice exclaimed, rushing towards his disembodied hands which had relaxed their grip on impact to fall onto the ground. Beetlejuice crouched over his fallen body parts, fumbling with them and trying to coax them back onto their stumps.

Suddenly he felt Lydia's presence leaning close to him. He turned and saw her kneeling beside him, holding one of his hands.

"Need a hand?" She teased, offering to affix his hand onto it's proper place.

"Hey now, I got this." He said, allowing her to put his hand back on. "Better hurry up though, Idle hands and all that you know. Dunno what these mischievous little fellers'll get into if left to their own devices"

Having said that, he used his newly reattached hand to reach out and grab the other missing appendage, just as it was making a leap towards Lydia.

Lydia watched him, still finding all of this unbelievable and awkward. Sighing, not sure what else to say, Lydia stood up and began to walk towards the book he had thrown. Beetlejuice's face paled even more.

"LEAVE IT!" He snapped.

Lydia spun to look at him.

"I was just going to get it for you."

"Yeah, well don't. Ok, I'm a grown man, I can do it myself all right!"

Having said this, he then proceeded to fail at picking up the book due to the fact that his hands were on the wrong arms.

Lydia chuckled at his folly and sighed.

"Here." She smiled as she took his hands and fixed them for him. Once they were properly attached she looked up at him and smiled, still holding his hands which were so large compared to her small ones.

"Better now?" She teased.

Beetlejuice stared at her, not sure what to say. Her small hands were wrapped around his wrists and there was a strange warmth emanating from where her hands lay and spread through out his body. He blinked. He hadn't been warm like this in so long…Why was she so small yet so warm?

Confused and frightened, Beetlejuice pulled away and picked up the book, and began to walk to his room, the room that he had been locking himself up in.

Lydia watched him, her heart aching from loneliness. She had no one to talk to here…at least at home she had Adam and Barbara. Here, there was no one. She was so desperate…

"Beej?" She started, angry that she had come to this. "Will you please just stay out here with…me?"

"What? Why would you ask me to do something like that?" He asked, sounding nastier then he meant to, and honestly confused. "Look hun, you wanted to get away from me right? You were pretty clear about that, so I think I'm being pretty darn nice keeping myself out of your hair like this."

Lydia looked away, her feet becoming very interesting.

"I know…" She whispered softly. "But I have no one, I'm so lonely. I-I may be Goth and seem a little creepy but that doesn't mean I…sigh…never mind."

Lydia turned from Beetlejuice and slowly walked toward the living room, thoroughly hurt and embarrassed.

"Hey now, Lyd' What'cha need to talk to the Beej-ster about?" He asked, trying to sound cheery for her sake.

Lydia turned to face him, eyes wide at the sound of her name, though shortened. He had never called her by anything resembling her name before. Sighing she looked back at her feet.

"Beej. I know you don't want me to leave the house but…" She looked back up at him. "I'll never find out anything if you don't let me out."

At his silence, Lydia took a few steps towards him.

"BJ, I swear to you that I wouldn't leave you." She blushed at the way she had worded that. Oops.

"Well, Lyd, I'm actually worried more about you getting lost, or worse, out there by yourself." Having admitted that he worried about her, he hastily added "So, babe, if you're going anywhere, I have to come with you," hoping that she wouldn't notice that first bit.

Lydia smiled and fought a giant urge to wrap her arms around his neck. Blushing, she shook her head, clearing that thought.

"But Beej, you are always off doing whatever it is you do. I hardly ever see you as it is. Will you have time to go with me? We're running out of time…" She mumbled, looking up at him with her big brown eyes.

"Hey babe, for you, I'm nothing' but time." He said, turning into a giant clock to emphasize his point.

Lydia giggled then ran over and hugged his clock form without thinking about it.

"Thank you!" She exclaimed.

Despite himself, Beetlejuice hugged her back, his clock-arms wrapping around her, holding her and desperately needing her warmth, her touch. Again, he felt that odd feeling, that distant feeling, this time much closer, much stronger, surging through him and filling his veins with a peculiar warmth that left him feeling giddy-- and still holding Lydia who, he was sure was going to notice that his hug had lasted a bit too long to still be considered just friendly.

"Beej'?" she asked, her voice muffled by his chest, his having somehow returned to his normal form without his thinking about it.

"Sorry toots, lost track of time there, he-he, get it? Cuz' I'm not a clock anymore?" He explained needlessly to her, more to distract her from the fact that he'd just hugged her back, "Oh, you'll get it later."

Lydia shook her head, grinning.

"Beej, you're such a goof."

Then she realized that his arms were wrapped around her, holding her close. She blushed madly, he was so cool. His body was giving off a sweetly cool feeling. Slowly she looked up at him, her eyes wavering. God help her…he actually smelled good. A mix of spice and sandal wood, it filled her senses, making her dizzy. Confused and frightened, she pulled away.

"Well…I-We should get started bright and early tomorrow!" She laughed nervously before backing away towards her bedroom.

"Uhh, you ok there toots?" Beetlejuice asked.

"Yea, why?"

"Cuz it _is_ the morning."

"Well.. Um.. I'm already tired, and maybe I just wanted to get a nice long sleep! There!"

"Well… ok. But just so you know, for a second there I almost thought you were going to kiss me."

"Kiss you!" She blushed harder if such a thing was possible. "Maybe if you brushed your teeth and didn't have beetles running around in there. Heck, you'd have to clean your whole self up before I'd even consider it, _which I'm not_ mind you before you go getting ideas." She said to cut off his growing leer.

He ran his tongue experimentally over his teeth, only catching one beetle in the process. Hey, it wasn't that bad, normally there'd be at least three.

"Well, it's not like I'd consider cleaning my mouth of all things. I don't even like my floors clean, and your mouth should never be cleaner then the surface ur' eatin off of, I always say."

Lydia tried to laugh away her passing disgust. It wasn't hard, as comical as Beetlejuice always acted.

"What, are you _afraid_ of the water Hot-shot?"

"I ain't afraid of no water! I'm scared of dissolving!" He said, sniffing armpit.

"You try being dead this long, see how good you smell." he challenged.

"Um, I'd rather avoid that for as long as possible, and if you want to help me with that, please take a shower. Sometimes I think I'm going to pass out when you get close. You're rather strong."

She neglected to mention that it wasn't usually from _bad_ smells, though he could certainly use the bath, but still it was close enough to the truth.

Lydia stared at him, challenging him.

Beetlejuice stared at her, becoming slightly embarrassed (a feeling he'd never had before). He never cared what people thought of him…it added to the whole scare effect. But, he didn't want her to pass out in disgust every time he came near her.

Lydia yawned, stretching sleepily.

Beetlejuice blushed at the sight, which aggravated him.

"I'm gonna go to sleep." She mumbled. "Tomorrow morning we will start our search!"

Beetlejuice blinked.

"Yea, sure thing toots. It's still morning, but you do what ever your little heart desires."

Beetlejuice walked toward the door, pausing after it closed behind him to sniff both his armpits again.

"Huh, I think I smell good." He said, with an crooked shrug and even more crooked grin, before pulling a beetle out from his underarm and pausing to pop it into his mouth.

"Oh well. I guess if I'm going to impress this lil missy I'd better make myself a little more presentable like." He wondered to himself exactly what those boys at her school looked like… Well, they have mirrors in their locker rooms don't they? Maybe he'd give them a visit topside, get a few ideas about the kind of guy she was into.

"Ain't been a girl yet who could resist this yet!" He said to a few dozy trees, flexing his arms to little effect.

"And I'm not planning on letting that trend start now! Once you let one of them get away, next thing you know you're hopping bars at 3AM lookin for drunk chicks."

"Not that there's anything wrong with that you know." He hastily amended to the incredulous gazes the trees gave him at his prior statement. "Drunk girls need lovin too you know. Cant be discriminatory. 'Side's it would be criminal to tease them with all this manliness then not give them what they want."

He winked at the trees.

"Hey, they may scream and run away, but callin the cops is just playin hard to get. I know they want it."

He pulled out a little pocket mirror from his, well, pocket, and peered into it intently. His thoughts swirled the gray in the mirror until, instead of reflecting his studly (in his opinion) features, it instead looked out into a high school locker room.

A few seconds later, there was a scream, and Beetlejuice fumbled to put the mirror away before whatever that big guy had thrown at him hit. Besides, he'd seen more then enough already. Tonight he planned to see if Lydia was bluffing about the guys at her school, or if she was just like all the other broads out there. "Always wantin' a piece of the Beetlejuice." He said, though this time, it was more to keep up his bravado then because he really believed it.

That night, Lydia woke from her nap. Groggy and dizzy, she stumbled out of bed and out into the main hall where she saw a blurred figure in front of her. Beetlejuice blinked at her. Her hair was sticking up all around her and her eyes were half lidded and hazy, staring at him unsurely, obviously not able to see him clearly. Her lips were parted and slightly swollen from laying on her arm.

Beetlejuice looked at her, thinking that she had certainly grown up a lot from the young woman he had know those years ago.

Shaking her head, Lydia rubbed her eyes so she could see. When she looked back up she saw a young man with thick brown hair and narrowed blue eyes standing in front of her. Her heart stopped.

"Aaron? What the heck are you doing here???? Did HE bring you here??! Oh this is all my fault! I'm sorry!"

Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth, not sure what else to say to him but she knew she was going to give Beetlejuice a piece of her mind! How dare he drag poor Aaron into this!

"Yeah? Well come give me a hug then." Said Beetlejuice, not caring that she thought he was Aaron.

Lydia blinked in shock.

"What? But…but you hate me." She said, thoroughly confused. "You told me so as you dropped your plate of spaghetti onto my head at lunch the other day!"

"Oh, I did? Um, well, that's cuz I was just tryin' to play hard to get you know. Kinda like you do with that Beetlejuice guy."

He grinned, almost betraying himself with his unusually wide toothy smile.

"What a great guy."

Lydia raised an eyebrow, narrowing her eyes.

"What are you--Oh." Her grin widened, realization dawning on her.

"You really think so? I think he is the worst person I've ever met! I can't wait to get out of here so I never have to see him again!"

"Really? Because you told me the other day that you thought he was the studliest guy you'd ever met. Don't you remember?" Said Beetlejuice, sliding up next to Lydia who wasn't quite fast enough to pull away.

"Besides, he can't be as bad as all that, can he?" He asked, a little hurt that she would think so poorly of him even after their understanding.

Lydia hid a blush at how close he was to her, knowing who he really was. She shook her head, clearing that thought.

"No, really. He's horrible! You should get out as soon as you can!" She cried, an idea coming into her head.

Faking a sweet smile, she leaned up close to his face, brushing the hair from his face.

"It would kill me to see anything happen to you, Aaron."

"Well.. Uh. Yea, well you'd better take good care of me then toots." He pulled away a bit so she couldn't see his blush at her touch. She must really like the Aaron guy, he jealously thought.

Ugh, why did he care again?

"Cuz you know, this mean broad kicked me earlier and it left me with a nasty bruise. Maybe you could kiss it for me and make it all better?"

Lydia felt her face go beat red. Oh she hated Beetlejuice! Well, two could play this game and she was going to make him pay! Even if it had to be pretending to like Aaron. She shuddered. She didn't know why that seemed to upset Beetlejuice but hey, whatever worked.

Lydia brushed her knuckles against his cheek softly, choosing to ignore his statement because God help her she had no idea how to respond to that without giving the fact that she knew it was him away.

"Please go." She whispered, laughing on the inside. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"And leave a fine dame like you here all alone? I doubt it!" Beetlejuice laughed, hoping she didn't notice the blush that emanated from the warmth of her hand and body against his. "Besides, I wouldn't want to leave you here alone with that Beetlejuice guy. There's no telling what he might seduce you into." He added with a wink, his hand on her buttock.

Lydia jumped in shock, which caused her to lean in closer to him, her blush deepening. She frowned up at him.

"He couldn't seduce me to do a damn thing. I hate him." She grumbled.

"Really? Well what about me?"

Lydia's eyes widened. Crap, she had been caught in her own little game. Damn him! Her mouth opened slightly as she stared up at him. What was she going to do???

Blushing madly, she looked away.

"I…I don't think so Aaron. I-I'm not ready for anything like that." She whispered truthfully. "If I-I ever did it would have to be with someone who loved me and only me…"

Love again, he thought, that darn thing kept creeping up everywhere!

"Well babe, what's love got to do with it? Aren't I attractive enough for you? Didn't you say that you liked my body? I've got a heart and all that, what more do you want from me?"

Lydia honestly looked up at him sadly. He didn't understand, he truly didn't. Poor Beetlejuice…She sighed as she felt her heart melt slightly. He had remembered what she had said and he was trying…God only knew what for and it was probably just to get into her pants but it still made her smile.

"Aaron." She started, truthfully. "No, I don't find you attractive. I mean, yes you are cute but you aren't what I'm looking for."

She looked up into his eyes but was trying to reach out to Beetlejuice.

"I honestly haven't found what I'm looking for." She whispered before pulling away and headed toward the kitchen.

"Well what does it look like? Maybe I can help you find it then."

Lydia stopped, grinning. Despite everything he was so damn innocent and yes, she blushed, it made that part of him endearing. She'd never admit it to anyone, including herself though.

"Honestly Aaron. I don't think I'll ever find it."

"Oh. Well, I've got, um, weights to go lift, so uh, when you see Beetlejuice, tell him how awesome we both think he is for me ok?" He said before walking out of the room, shoulders once again slouched over dejectedly.

Lydia sighed, why was being around Beetlejuice so difficult? And what the heck was he up to??

Beetlejuice was, again, gone doing whatever knows what. Lydia grumbled, he had better be back by dawn so they could start their search! She wanted OUT! Bored and not sure what to do, Lydia walked out the back door, which the dummy had left open again, to sit out on the lawn. As she neared the spot she usually occupied she saw the trees waving at her from the nearby forest. She grinned and waved back. Needing some company, she walked down the path to them.

"Hey Lydia!" They all said in unison, which sounded quite odd.

Lydia grinned.

"Hey guys, mind if I take a walk?"

The trees shook as if they were shaking their heads. Smiling, Lydia began to walk through the path that they were making for her. She just hoped that she would be back by the time Beetlejuice got back. She honestly didn't want him to be mad at her.

Fifteen minutes went by when she noticed something shimmering in the distance off the path the trees had made. Interested, Lydia began to head towards it when two of the trees leaned over and blocked her path.

"No Miss Lydia! You cannot stray from the path!" They warned.

Lydia looked past them at the shimmer.

"But there's something over there." She insisted.

The trees shook their branches.

"Leave it be! That area is off limits."

Lydia crossed her arms across her chest.

"Says who?"

The trees shrugged.

"It was Mrs. Juno and Mr. Beetlejuice, Miss." One of the trees started.

Lydia looked at them confused.

"Really? Why?"

"We do not know, Miss." The other trees answered. "It was many, many, many years ago…Mr. Beetleman had just arrived here. He told us to never let him nor anyone else retrieve the things he had placed there. Said he wanted to forget, he did."

Lydia stared off at the shimmer. Beetlejuice? What did he want to forget? And why was Juno with him?? Biting her lower lip, she looked back up at the trees.

"Look, I REALLY need to get over there. It may be of use, whatever that is. I'm honestly trying to help Beetlejuice."

The trees looked at each other, skeptical and unsure of what to do.

"But he insisted…"  
Lydia looked desperate, almost pleading.

"Please, I NEED to do this! For both his and my sake!"

The trees sighed. Lydia had never done anything to make them believe she was evil since the day she had arrived. She had stayed pretty close to the Beetleman, even when he left the back door open, which he seemed to do a lot.

The swayed back into their upright position.

"Alright, Miss. Lydia. But please…be careful."

Lydia grinned and hugged both of the trees before running off towards the shimmering light.

It seemed to take forever before she finally reached it. The shimmer was coming from inside a small building, a shack really. She cocked her head.

"What the-"

Nervous but determined, Lydia gripped the rusted handle and pushed the door in. As soon as the door was open the shimmer disappeared. She blinked.

Weird.

Slowly, she stepped inside the building, disturbing the dirt into dust around her. Coughing, she looked around. Her mouth dropped. There were trinkets and sketches everywhere. At one corner there was a small wire-haired and straw toy made to look like a horse. Her heart melted as she touched it softly. A child's toy. She looked to her side then and noticed a pile of papers. Careful not to make them crumble, she blew the dust from them and tried to read what was written. That was a failed task however considering she could not understand the script, it was completely foreign. Sighing, she set the papers down and then noticed a pile of thick papyrus-looking paper. She blew the dust off and gasped at the contents.

It was a sketch…a couple of sketches. The first one was of a family which consisted of a small boy no older than five, a tall, beautiful woman whom she supposed was the mother, a muscular man with a full beard and mustache who must have been the father, and a little girl with curly hair standing next to the boy, arms wrapped around him. She looked to be about a few years older than the boy, who was grinning obliviously. Lydia smiled.

Too sweet.

The next sketch was of a war horse with a menacing look placed upon it's features. Lydia immediately set that one down and gasped as she saw the third one. It was of a young man with shoulder-length curly hair pulled back into a low pony tail. Lydia felt herself blush. The young man was very handsome, his eyes seemed to be staring right through her even though they were lines on a piece of paper. He was dressed in simple clothing that hung loosely around him. But even though they were loose, she could still see the many muscles that adorned him. Her blush deepened.

Why did he seem so familiar? Why did she feel like she KNEW him? And why did Beetlejuice want all of this hidden? Did he know the man in the picture? Was he family?

So many questions flooded her mind. Shaking slightly, she grabbed the three pictures and ran out the door, which closed behind her of its own accord. Squeaking in fear, Lydia ran faster to where she felt, oddly, the safest, back to _his _home.

Once she arrived at his house, Beetlejuice was standing there, a look of fear and anger mixed in his features.

"Where were you?!" He hissed.

Lydia stared up at him.

"I'm sorry, I just went for a walk. See? I didn't leave!" She said as she spun around, showing that she was all here.

"What've you got in your hands there? Lemme see that!" He said, half recognizing the papers, but not wanting to know what they were, hoping that they weren't what he thought they were.

Lydia clutched the papers to her chest, staring at him with wide eyes.

"I-I found them." She mumbled, not knowing what else to say.

"Those damn trees…" Beetlejuice mumbled to himself, spitting about some bonfire he was planning on having. "Fine! Keep the damn things, don't want them anyway."

Lydia blinked at the way he was acting. Feeling a little guilty, she reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"Don't be mad…" She started. "I was just trying to help…I thought they would be of use to us. They said that you knew about them." She mumbled, talking about the trees.

"Well you can help by burning those stupid pictures." Beetlejuice said with a nasty tone to his voice, serious for once, and not at all his normal goading self. Whatever it was that she had found, it was making Beetlejuice actually upset to the point that he was forgetting about his whole apathetic attitude he kept as a front up all the time.

"I don't want to remember ok. It was a long time ago, and you've no right to take me back there. Besides there was nothing good about all that anyway, and it's just as well that I've been here. At least here I have some power and people will listen to me." He looked back at Lydia having sat down on the stairs in the main room. "Though I guess I wont be upset as long as they'll help you figure out a way to get me out of here and back up there where I belong. I'm getting tired of being the Ghost with Most. I'd like to be the Dude with the 'tude for a while or maybe even The Guy who's pretty Fly. Heck I'd even settle for guy-who's-alive." He sighed. "Even if it gives you some power, being dead kinda takes away all the enjoyment of it. How many times can I scare the same stupid ghosts before they just start to ignore me anyway." His head hit his hands and his eyes focused on the wall as he drifted off into thought, apparently forgetting that Lydia was still standing there holding the pictures of him and his family, her mouth agape and staring at him, wondering just what in the world _that_ was all about. Why would he get so upset over some old dusty drawings, she thought, they're just lines on paper.

At the sight of his depressed face, Lydia's heart melted, urging her forward. Setting the pictures down, She leaned in front of him, setting her hands on his knees. When he refused to look at her, Lydia felt tears burn the back of her eyes and she let her resolve go.   
"Beej…" She whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. "I'm sorry."

"Huh?" he asked snapping out of his daze. "Oh, no, it's ok toots, you just surprised me is all. I'd forgotten all about those dumb things. If you wanna look and me and my stupid family, then suit yourself. We're all dead now anyway… well some of us more then others anyway."

Lydia refused to let go, feeling oddly safe leaning against him like this. Who was supposed to be comforting who??

"You and your family aren't stupid Beej." She whispered against his neck, blushing as his smell of sandalwood and spice filled her senses.

"Well if I had one I guess they wouldn't be. But I don't anymore and that's just the way it is I guess. Look, if you're going to keep the pictures then keep them, but I don't like sitting here and mopin' It's just not me ok?" He stood up. "I like ya kid, but you do weird things to me. Half the time when I'm around you I hardly feel like myself."

Lydia stared up at him, her brown eyes wavering, confused at his words. He felt something hitch inside of his chest.

"Don't look at me like that…" He mumbled before taking a look at the pictures she had left on the steps. He hissed as he saw his portrait. That had been drawn right before _it _had happened.

Grumbling, he stomped off.

Lydia blinked. Then she looked down at her hands and noticed how dirty they were. Grimacing she looked back up.

"Beej?" She mumbled.

Beetlejuice stopped but did not turn around, actually feared looking at her for reasons he did not understand.

"I-I really need to take a shower. I'm filthy."

Beetlejuice grimaced at the word 'shower'. Why did she want to take one of those?? He sighed. Breathers.

"Fine." He said simply. "Downstairs in the basement, second door to your right."

Lydia jumped up, excited.

"Thanks!" She chirped before running downstairs.

Lydia sighed contently as she wringed her hair out into the tub. That was so much better. How could Beetlejuice "live" without taking a shower?

Running her fingers through her wet hair, Lydia wrapped her towel around her bare body and snuck out of the bathroom and up the stairs, hoping she could make it to her bedroom. However, as soon as she made it to the top of the stairs, Beetlejuice passed by. Seeing the motion from the corner of his eye, he turned to see Lydia in nothing but a towel that was wrapped loosely around her, her hair curling around her face, dripping. Her eyes were wide, staring at him in shock, a light blush creeping its way across the bridge of her nose and her cheeks.

If her eyes were wide, Beetlejuice's were wider, his mouth slightly agape has he luxuriated in her image. My god, he thought, she had certainly grown into a beautiful young woman.

"B-Beej…" She mumbled, shocked into her spot.

"… um yeah?" he said after a moment, trying hard to keep his eyes on hers.

"You're um…you're in my way…" She blushed even harder, taking a step forward to emphasize her point.

"Yeah, well, your towel's-I mean you're- in mine, kid."

Lydia clutched her towel to her, feeling it slip slightly.

"Well…you were in mine first!"

"Um, what're you doing like that anyway? If you're going to be like that in the shower, maybe I'll think about taking one with ya, how'd you like that? Sides, where's your clothes anyway?"

Lydia blushed even farther but tried to cover up her embarrassment.

"I was waiting for you…" She spat, obviously joking. "To take a shower you need to take off your clothes dummy, how else would you clean yourself?"

"Don't call me a dummy, you dummy. How're you going to get your clothes clan if you don't wear them into the shower with you?"

Lydia grinned despite herself. Why did he have to be so cute? WHAT THE?! Lydia shook her head, she hadn't meant to think that!

"You wash those separate, B." She giggled, calling him yet another nickname.

"You what them?"

Lydia rolled her eyes.

"You WASH them separately. In a washing machine…or in your case a tub by hand."

"Why would you, 'wash' them?"

Lydia smacked her forehead.

"So they are clean Beej." She laughed. "I like things to be clean…most humans do."

"Well we won't talk about why you're inferior I guess. You should really go put some clothes on… or not, if you catch my drift.." He leered at her, wiggling his eyebrows as he tried to lean against the wall to pose in front of her.

"Eep…" She squeaked as her hand involuntarily flew to her chest, clutching the towel even tighter.

"W-well maybe if you moved out of my way I could go put some clothes on."

"Maybe if you moved that towel out of my way…" He leered.

Lydia's eyes widened even farther, her heart beating fast. But oddly, she wasn't afraid of HIM.

"BJ!" She snapped.

"Alright fine." He sighed, grinning at her. "Your loss."

Lydia scrunched up her face, on her defense and yet again ready to tease him. He seemed to love to do that to her!

"You know Beej," She said as she tried moving past him. "You seem so desperate to get with me off all people that I am beginning to wonder that you have never even done anything before, with anyone."

Beetlejuice blinked, shocked. How the Hell did she know?? SHE COULDN'T KNOW THAT! HE HAD A REPUTATION!

"I've been with plenty of women!" He snapped, blocking her way. "And they always come back for more."

Lydia felt something inside of her become furious, a small part of her becoming jealous. She shook her head. Screw that! She was NOT jealous! She COULDN'T be jealous! She despised Beetlejuice! Didn't she?

Lydia sneered.

"I doubt that."

Beetlejuice leaned in close to her, causing her eyes to widen.

"You just wish you were the first…" He said in a low grumble.

Lydia's heart began to beat even faster. She frowned, trying to cover it up.

"I don't want to EVER be with you! And I doubt any woman would!" She hissed before grinning. "Or that any one HAS."

"Heh, you sound just like all my ex-girlfriends."

Lydia sneered.

"Ex-girlfriends eh? Sounds like you can't keep 'em satisfied."

"Keep it up toots and I might prove to you how wrong you are. I ditched them, not the other way around, but they always come crawling back sooner or later."

Lydia stared at him.

"Then you're an asshole."

"Maybe, but at least I'm not standing in the middle of the room wearing a towel. I'd call you a whore for walking around like that, but frankly I don't think you'd have what it takes to make it in that profession."

Lydia felt fury and hurt bubble inside of her. Infuriating her even more was the feel of tears burning the back of her eyes. She smacked him across the face.

"GO TO HELL!" She snapped, backing up against the wall, too furious and hurt to walk properly.

Feeling bad now, but unable to show it and not really sure what to do to make her feel better, (not even sure why the sight of her tears upset him so much) he did the first thing that came to his mind. He walked up next to her and drew her into his arms, pulling her to him in, what he hoped, was a caring embrace.

"I'm sorry Lyd' I didn't really mean to hurt your feelings, no one cares what I have to say anyway, so I just say whatever pops in my head without giving it any thought. I'm sorry."

Lydia stiffened at the feel of his arms wrapping around her half-naked body. However, as soon as he had pulled her against his body, feeling the comforting coolness of his body, the tears began to flow freely.

"I hate you…" She sobbed, pounding his chest weakly, not bothering to pull away. She would never admit it aloud, but it felt so good to be in his arms. She felt so safe and it frightened her. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you." But inside her mind she was screaming "I don't! Please don't hate ME!"

'I should hate you…but for some reason you make it so dang hard to…' She thought to herself, furious with her internal turmoil.

Looking into her eyes and seeing how upset he had really made her all he could manage to say was:  
"Like I said, join the club kid."

Lydia bit her lower lip, trying to stop it from trembling. She didn't know what to say or do, all she knew was that she wanted to go home…and get some clothes on.

Still staring at him, she slowly began to walk backwards, towards her room.

Beetlejuice let her go, feeling guilty at what he had said. His gaze falling to the floor he started to wonder if there was any hot water left. Maybe he should go take a shower too…

He cringed a bit as the hot water hit his skin. The water came away almost black with filth, the accumulation of years of disgustingly miserable care.

He leaned out a little and pulled in a sponge from outside his shower and poured what he hoped was soap on it before lathering it over himself, trying to get the dead skin and filth fully off of him. He noted, sadly, that the soap must have been Lydia's because it smelled like her. Odd, how that made him wish she were here with him, he thought.

Back to business, he scrubbed some soap into his hair, actually feeling better then he had in years. Looking into the small mirror he'd put in the shower, he noticed that he actually had a full head of hair again… and more then that it was actually blond rather then just white and green! In fact he looked almost like he had the day he'd died. Better really, considering at least right now he was clean. He smiled into the mirror, surprised to see that his teeth were actually straight again. Odd, he thought, I liked them crooked because they scared people. But I'm not trying to scare Lydia, so I guess they went back to, well, normal.

Lydia. Thinking of her again made her brought up a multitude of emotions. He felt protective of her, always had since she came to him for help. He wondered if he would get to spend any time with her after she got him out of here, though he again wondered why he cared. For that matter he wondered at himself taking a shower.

"Heck, I guess anyone can use a shower once every hundred years or so." He smiled, turning off the water and stepping out of the shower to drip onto the floor. "But don't you count on it."

"Beej?" Lydia called. "Beej where are you? It's time to go!"

Lydia began to fret. She had looked all over the house and still had not found him! He had promised he would take her out to look for a solution! NOW WHERE WAS HE?

"In a rush much, kiddo?" Came the familiar smooth voice.

Lydia spun around, ready to give Beetlejuice a piece of her mind but she stopped dead in her tracks. Beetlejuice was leaning against the door frame, his blonde hair shading his eyes although she could still see the emerald glow of them. He was no longer wearing his crazy striped suit but a loose fitting white shirt that was unbuttoned, giving her a full view of his muscular chest. Oh God…he had…he had CLEANED himself!! He was still deathly pale for obvious reasons but all of the dirt and mold had been washed from his body. Her heart skipped a beat. HE was the handsome man in the picture!!!! It was Beetlejuice!! Lydia fought the urge to faint.

"Di-did you? Why did you _clean _yourself?" She asked, astounded.

"Well yeah, you said you humans liked clean guys."

Lydia blinked, staring at him, her heart beating faster.

"But why would you…" She couldn't finish her sentence.

"You're not dumb, even if you act like it sometimes. Don't toy with me girl."

Lydia blinked.

"Beej, what are you talking about?" She asked, genuinely confused.

"Sometimes I don't even know." He said, hanging his head a bit.

He smiled at her, showing off his now-normal teeth. Lydia blushed, something in the pit of her stomach blossoming at his smile.

"Oh…I…Well, we should go now. I want to try and find something before dark. The-the sooner we find something the sooner I can go home." She whispered.

"Well be safe. And don't do anything I wouldn't!"

"Wait…" Lydia started, crossing her arms across her chest. "The only reason I waited this long is because YOU said you didn't want me to go by myself! Now you're saying I didn't have to wait!!!"  
"No, I said that because I didn't trust you. Now I…do. Don't test it toots."

"UGH!" Lydia screamed, running her hands through her hair. "You are such a JERK!"

She snapped as she stomped out the front door.

"Well it's better than saying she hates me." Beetlejuice reasoned with himself.

"I DO TOO!" She snapped through the door.

"Oh." He said, visibly crestfallen.

Lydia walked through the very market place that she had been in her first day here. It was very busy and bustling like crazy.

"Watch it!" Yelled a gnome up at her.

"Oh! Sorry!" Lydia cried as she stepped over him.

As she looked around she noticed that it was pretty disgusting, the things sold in the market place. There were shops labeled "EYE SCREAM" and "THE GROSSERY STORE". Lydia cringed. She didn't want to think about the ingredients that Beetlejuice had been feeding her now. Suddenly she spotted a small shop labeled "BOOKS OVER THE AGES". Wondering if she would find some information from 600 years ago that would help her case any, Lydia began to walk towards it. But just as she started to walk she bumped into someone, causing them to drop their bags and grab her shoulders as if to steady the both of them.

"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!" Lydia gushed as she started to help them pick up their bags.

"It's okay, Miss. I should have been watching out where I was going."

Lydia looked up and blushed. There in front of her was a young man with pitch black hair and dark eyes. He was wearing a regal outfit which fit him well. The man smiled and bowed.

"Let me introduce myself. I am Prince Vince, ruler of the Netherworld."

Lydia blushed and gave an unusual curtsy.

"My name is Lydia Deetz. Nice to meet you, your highness."

The man blushed pleasantly.

"Likewise, it is not every day that you meet a beautiful ghoul on the street."

Lydia blushed even more.

"Heh."

The prince raised an eyebrow.

"Are you new, my dear?"

"Well, yes actually. I'm trying to find something though so I really should-"

"Is it something I can help you with?" The prince interrupted. "I AM the prince after all."

Lydia looked up at him. Maybe he COULD help her! He had to know everyone and every rule in the Netherworld!

"Maybe you can." She started.

The prince grinned an evil plot hidden behind his eyes as he held out his arm.

"Come, let me take you to my castle and I will help you as much as I can."

Lydia grinned as she took his arm.

Beetlejuice paced back and forth restlessly inside his house. Where was that girl?? It was already dusk and she was not back yet! She hadn't gone off into the forest, he knew that much for sure. At least, that is what the trees claimed. He sighed deeply before plopping down onto a chair, staring out at the road. A small part of him began to worry that she had left him. He shook his head. No, she had promised.

"Lydia, where have you gone?" He said to nothing.

Lydia chuckled as the Prince continued to show him around his palace. He was very pleasant and it was surprisingly easy to laugh around him. The prince smiled at her.

"So why are you here Miss Lydia?"

Lydia froze, remembering what Beetlejuice had told her about telling anyone she was a "breather."

"Well, I-I got into an accident while trying to help some friends." She replied truthfully.

Vince nodded.

"I'm sorry to hear that. But what is such an angel like yourself doing here and not in heaven?"

Lydia blushed.

"I got caught up with the 'devil'." She joked, though Vince thought she was serious.

"I am so sorry."

Lydia shrugged. "I'm staying with someone who I feel…relatively safe with so I guess it is ok. I am just trying to be reunited with my family.

The prince thought for a second.

"Is that what you are looking for?"

Lydia nodded.

"Kinda, I just…I'm looking for a way out."

The prince gasped.

"My dear, I know you are upset but it is against the rules to leave!"

Lydia smiled at him.

"No, I made a deal. If I found an alternate way out other than to marry one of the living for someone else, I could be reunited with my family."

The prince thought for a second.

"Hm, well, that IS quite a predicament. How about you stay awhile and I will see what I can do."

Lydia looked out the window, the two suns outside were setting. She jumped out of her seat.

"Oh my gosh! It's getting late! I have to go, I promised someone!" She gushed as she started for the door.

"Your Highness, thank you so much for the tour. Do you think I could come back tomorrow and take you up on that offer?"

The prince sneered at her.

"I'm sorry, my dear. But you can't leave."

Lydia stopped, fear starting to catch a grip on her.

"What are you talking about?"

Before she knew what was going on, Lydia felt someone grab her from behind and press a wet cloth to her face, covering her nose and mouth. She began to feel dizzy, everything going hazy before pitch black. She fell limp. Vince grinned as he leaned over her sleeping body.

"I know you're alive, Lydia. And where I don't want out, you WOULD make a wonderful bride as a ghost."

(What is it with all the ghosts wanting to marry Lydia? Shrug Oh well, I hope you are enjoying this so far! R&R and let me know!)


	4. Chapter 4

(Here's Chapter Four, sorry it is shorter…But thank all of you for the nice reviews! I'm sorry Vince is evil in this story, but i needed a bad guy and he fit so well with what i needed. But we all know he is not evil, just...gloomy. :) Well, enjoy!)

Beetlejuice was really starting to get worried now. He'd waited all night for Lydia to come home and she never had. Finally, when the sky had brightened again (it was never truly "day" down here) he moved out toward the market.

When he got there, everyone was still setting up their shops and putting out their produce. He walked over to several vendors who all swore on their mothers' souls that they'd never seen hide nor hair of the raven-haired girl. After about an hour of being stonewalled by guilty-looking vendors and salesmen, he finally lost his temper, walking over to a wagon selling books marked "Half Off" and each book was missing half of their pages. Growling almost, Beetlejuice flipped the cart over into the storefront proper, scaring the hell out of the patrons.

"WHERE'S THE GIRL?!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, deafening everyone around him who wasn't already shocked.

The storekeeper, seeing Beetlejuice coming for him with hellfire in his eyes, squealed loudly before trying to run away. He got about two feet before Beetlejuice grabbed him with both hands, his form having grown to about twice his normal size, and his features having returned to the gruesome visage rather than the almost human face he'd been wearing for Lydia.

"WHERE IS SHE?" He fumed into the frightened storekeeper's face. "TELL ME NOW OR SUFFER."

"I don't know! I don't know, I'm sorry!" The storekeeper said, scared witless. He'd seen Beetlejuice angry before and would rather spare himself the pain that resisting him would inflict. "I saw her last night, I did. But she just walked away with some well-dressed man. I don't know where they went."

Beetlejuice deflated, this time, literally shrinking his form until the storekeeper was standing back on the ground.

"She what?" He asked again, more calmly this time.

"She left with some well-dressed gentleman. He seemed quite surprised to see her at first, but it was almost like he was waiting for her. I heard him say something about taking her somewhere, but I wasn't really paying attention, I do apologize but that is all I know, so would you kindly leave so I can clean up the mess you've made. Thank you and good day, Beetlejuice."

Beetlejuice was in such shock that he allowed the fast talking salesman to push him out the front door and lock it behind him.

"She left?" He asked, in disbelief.

Hanging his head, he walked slowly back home. More alone than he'd felt in his long un-life.

Lydia groaned as she shifted, heavy with sleep. Her eyes opened slowly, unaware that she was not at the Roadhouse. Then everything hit her with so much force she moaned.

"Beej…" She whispered, her heart breaking into a million pieces.

Tears sprung to her eyes. He probably thought that she had broken her promise…again. Jumping out of the fluffy bed, she ran to the window. She could see everything from where she stood. Even the Roadhouse. Tears fell from her eyes. What was she going to do? Some other freak was trying to marry her! Only, this one wanted her dead. Lydia sobbed. She wished Beetlejuice was here. She wished he had done with her. Falling to her knees, Lydia let the tears flow freely, her heart aching terribly for the one person she though she despised.

Suddenly the door creaked open. Frightened, Lydia spun around to see a ghost maid float in.

"It's time to get ready, Miss." She whispered as she began checking all of Lydia's pulse sights. Lydia pushed herself away from the ghost.

"Get away! I AM NOT MARRYING THAT JERK! AND I AM NOT GOING TO DIE!"

The maid looked at her sadly.

"I'm sorry Miss, but you must." With a snap of her fingers, the maid caused Lydia to go stiff and unmoving, unable to move. A tear escaped Lydia.

'I need you BJ. Where are you?' She thought to the vast emptiness.

Lydia felt the ghost causing her body to float through the air down the hall to a large bedroom where Vince was standing, looking quite smug.

"Hello Lydia-dear."

Lydia glared though her form was unmoving. Vince chuckled as he walked over to her.

"Poor, innocent Lydia." He purred before kissing her.

Lydia wanted to scream and cry, anything to push him off but she was still FROZEN!!

Vince pulled back, snapping his fingers. In a flash Lydia's attire changed to one of a pearl colored dress that fit loosely but still flattered her. He leered at her.

"Once you are my bride, you will not be so unsure nor innocent." He threatened.

Lydia's eyes widened in fear. Good God…

Vince chuckled evilly as he snapped his fingers once more, releasing her from the spell. Lydia fell to the floor, wincing in pain.

"Get the Hell away from me…" She hissed, glaring daggers.

Vince laughed as he flicked his fingers, a knife appearing.

"Such a mouth…now, how should I kill you? If I use this that pretty little neck of yours will be ruined…"

Vince's grin grew as the knife disappeared, a goblet taking it's place.

"But poison would leave you flawless."

Lydia stood up and backed towards his window, fear hidden in her eyes but she hid it with a glare.

"I won't drink it." She challenged.

Vince chuckled. "Willingly, maybe not. But you WILL drink it one way or another."

Before Lydia could respond, Vince had thrown her against the wall with a flick of his hand, an invisible force held her there. Her stomach began to drop in fear.

Desperately she closed her eyes and tried to call for Beetlejuice. Damn his curse!!

"B-B-B-GAH! NO!!!" She sobbed. "Beej! I need you!" She sobbed.

She wanted to shout his name. She had promised Juno she never would again and Beetlejuice told her she would never be able to say his name in hate ever again so she couldn't escape him. Tears moistened her lashes but she refused to let them fall. She had to keep trying…

"Beet-BEET-LE…" Her heart stopped in hope. Maybe…

"BEETLEJUICE! BEETLEJUICE!! BEETLEJUICE!!!!" She sobbed, her heart aching with the ringing of his name on her lips.

At the Roadhouse, Beetlejuice felt utterly dejected. He's trusted Lydia and she had burnt him.

Again.

"Well fool me twice, shame on me." He grumbled.

He'd resolved to go out and drink away all memory of Lydia and everything else when he felt a strange twisting in his stomach.

Someone was calling him.

Beetlejuice felt dizzy as he saw his surroundings go hazy then disappear. Who the Hell was calling him at a time like this?? In fact, who the Hell was calling him at all?

Suddenly he was dropped onto a stone floor. Grumbling he looked up ready to cause havoc when he saw Lydia trembling on the floor, Vince loosing control of his spell due to the shock, in a long white dress that hung loosely around her shoulders. Prince Vince was standing above her, ready to do who knows what. And right now, it didn't look good.

"Excuse me, sir." He said to Vince, ignoring him, knowing full well that Vince hated to be ignored and walked over to talk to Lydia, whose hair was falling out of the little bun that it had been previously pulled into.

"Just where have you been young lady? I've been worried sick about you." He said, trying to sound as if he were joking to cover the reality of the statement.

Bending slightly, he took her elbow and pulled her up to him. Lydia lost all control at the sight of him. Her pent up tears fell down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around his neck without thinking.

"Please don't be mad!" She cried out without thinking, trying to defend herself. "I swear I didn't run out on you!"

With that she buried her face into his neck, the tears wetting the cool skin there. Beetlejuice felt something inside of him hitch at the feel.

"Oh? And where'd you go then Lyds? Running off with odd men," He nodded his head to Vince, who seemed rather taken aback by all of this. "Odd men with good taste anyway."

He turned to face Vince fully, holding Lydia close to him.

"Sorry to just drop by like this, wouldn't want to wear out our welcome and all so we'll have to be saying goodbye."

Prince Vince hissed, coming out of his shocked state. With a flick of his wrist he sent Beetlejuice flying from Lydia, dragging the girl to him and wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Beetlejuice, how nice to see you. I don't know how this girls knows you but she's MINE." He leered at her while reaching to touch her butt. Lydia, who seemed to be struggling in vain, screamed.

"GET OFF ME!"

Vince just chuckled and pulled her closer to him, kissing her on the mouth.

Beetlejuice took this about as well as could be expected.

One. Vince had disrespected Beetlejuice's bad-ass reputation, cold-clocking him like that. That wouldn't do.

Two. Vince had made him angry with Lydia when it wasn't her fault. That definitely wouldn't do.

Three. The asshole had just touched his lips onto Lydia's. He would pay for that one.

Beetlejuice stood back up, fury boiling over in his eyes, his pupils being out shown by the rage shimmering within.

"Let. Her. Go." He said slowly, trying not to completely lose it, afraid to attack Vince while Lydia was still in the line of fire.

Vince grinned menacingly as he threw Lydia to the bed. For some reason the infamous Beetlejuice seemed to care for the small human girl. If his calculations were right, Vince had finally found his weakness. Cackling he slammed Beetlejuice into the wall again with another flick of his wrist, and with a snap bindings grew from the wall and wrapped themselves around his wrists and ankles, holding him in place.

"Oh, I'll let her go…as soon as I'm done with her." He leered, tying Lydia to the bed as she thrashed around trying to keep him at bay. When that didn't work she screamed.

"BJ!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Vince laughed as he began to pull the beautiful white dress from her shoulders. Beetlejuice stepped away from the wall, his body oozing around the bindings as though they weren't there. Walking up behind Vince, he tapped him on the shoulder to get him to turn around before releasing the punch he'd wound up, his fist taking the form of a hammer the size of Vince's head. Lydia cringed at the crack the blow made, which could only have been Vince's nose breaking.

"I told ya to let her go, Bub. Now you get to see my mean side." Beetlejuice said before bringing a knee up into Vince's face. Vince, trying to pull himself together and keep the green ectoplasm trickling from his face from staining his outfit.

Vince pointed an angry finger at Beetlejuice, a blast of magic spewing from it and causing Beetlejuice to crash against the bed post.

"Why so upset Beetlejuice?" Vince taunted. "You couldn't possible _care _for her could you? You? Actually thinking of someone other than yourself?"

Vince noticed Beetlejuice's eye twitching with rage. He sneered. Jackpot.

"You lost her years ago." He hissed, bringing back the memories of three years ago.

Beetlejuice stood up, the shattered wood of the bedpost in his hand as he took a step towards Vince. Denial was shooting through him. He hadn't lost her! She was right THERE! She hadn't betrayed him again like he thought she had! Beetlejuice narrowed his eyes. She. Was. HIS.

Furious and overprotective, Beetlejuice swung the wood one-handed at Vince's head. Vince blocked the blow easily with one hand and took in a breath to laugh at Beetlejuice's ineptitude at fighting before losing it in a gasping cough as Beetlejuice's other hand came hammering in, this one holding a pointed shard of wood it its fist.

Vince coughed green ectoplasm.

"Silly Beetlejuice. You can't kill me. You out of everyone should know that. I'm already dead."

Beetlejuice tried to punch him again, but this time Vince caught his fist in his hand and began pushing him, one hand against the wall.

"And I am always going to be stronger then you. That's why I'm royalty and you're just a base cur. So why don't you just give up and go home already?" Vince taunted.

Vince snapped his fingers and an iron maiden appeared on the other side of the room. Cackling, he held Beetlejuice by his throat and untied Lydia, positioning her in aim of the torture device.

"This may ruin your beautiful body, but I think it will get the _point _across quite nicely."

Lydia looked up at Beetlejuice, her eyes pleading with him as she lifted her arms, surprising him by actually reaching for him.

Seeing Lydia reaching for him unlocked something inside of him he didn't even know he had. Reaching within himself, he drew up a power even greater then his pride-the prior source of his ghostly powers. His eyes set on Wince, black flames dancing playfully in each of them as he locked sight on his target. As easily and naturally as breathing would have been if he were alive, he bent Vince's arm back, putting him into a painful lock. With the same ease, he used his powers to pull Lydia away from the Iron Maiden and to push Vince toward it. Vince's eyes grew large as he saw the black contraption drawing near. Where he couldn't die, he could still feel pain. He tried to stop Beetlejuice, but every time he'd stop struggling long enough to concentrate, Beetlejuice would push harder on his elbow, the pain shattering any chance of reaching focus.

"NO! NO! NOOOOO!" Vince yelled, being pushed unwillingly into the maw of the death machine. Beetlejuice grinned as he closed it shut on him and summoned a giant padlock chain which he wrapped around it to keep it sealed. With a grin at Lydia, who was staring in horror, he pulled the slide which covered the face to the side to show a very unhappy Vince. Lydia blinked then looked up at Beetlejuice in question. Vince drew a breath to curse them before having his mouth sealed by Beetlejuice with a riveted plate. Other than being angry it didn't look like he was harmed. Lydia cocked her head at Beetlejuice, who grinned at her, pointing back to Vince. Lydia grimaced as she saw beetles crawling over Vince inside the contraption. Somehow Beetlejuice had gotten rid of the spikes on the inside and replaced them with…beetles? Lydia looked up at him, a confused smile that spoke 'you are so weird'. Beetlejuice just winked at her before closing the plate to further muffle Vince's moans and grunts. He waved his hand and took the form of Vince, and, using his voice, said.

"Do be a dear and pretend that you're dead and my wife now darling. I would so hate for you to blow my gambit."

Lydia crossed her arms across her chest playfully.

"You would love that wouldn't you? It'd be three years ago all over again."

Beetlejuice grinned before turning and summoning the maid.

"Oh maid! Come here at once."

The maid that Lydia had seen before appeared immediately and was apparently taken in by Beetlejuice's disguise.

"Yes, Milord, how can I help you?"

"Well you can start by cleaning up this mess." He gestured towards the shattered remnants of the bed and the locked Iron Maiden. "The wife is quite…energetic, in bed, if you know what I mean." He added with a leer and wink to the maid.

"Y-yes! Milord, right away!" The maid said, moving to pick up the pieces.

Lydia's whole face was bright with a blush as she glared at Beetlejuice whom she could tell was laughing inside at her due to the sparkle in his eyes. Her blush deepened as she stared at him. She was still in shock out of the whole experience and she was still no closer to finding another way out of this mess. Although, she HAD been scared out of her mind for Beetlejuice, though she could not admit it aloud, especially to him. She cursed herself but it was a true fact that she had realized seeing the two fight. She actually cared for Beetlejuice. Lydia fell to the floor, a tear escaping her will. What was she going to do now?

Beetlejuice felt his stomach churn at the sight of her tear. In the blink of an eye he as standing next to her, bending over to pick her up. He gently wiped the tear out from under her eye before starting to walk away. Lydia strewn in his arms, he turned back to the maid.

"Oh and make sure you take all of that junk to the dump. And one last thing. I'm going away on my honeymoon for a few weeks so don't be worried it I am not around for the next couple of months."

Lydia surprised him yet again when as he started to walk towards the Roadhouse she did not insist that she could walk on her own. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in the soft skin of his neck where it met his shoulder. Her breathing was heavy, still trying to calm the adrenaline rush. What Beetlejuice hadn't noticed yet was that her small body was covered in cuts and the dress was completely tattered now, the straps slipping down her shoulders. At the moment however, she didn't care. She was safe. She KNEW she was safe now, here with Beetlejuice.

(YAY! A little fluff! I love fluff! And these two are just too cute! ;) I hope you liked it even though it is a stressful chapter. I should have chapter five up pretty soon! Please Review, they motivate me! Heehee.)


	5. Chapter 5

(Now we are on Chapter Five! YAY!)

Before she knew it they had been "juiced" back to the Roadhouse, where Beetlejuice laid her down on her bed. He mentally noted as he did so that she looked beautiful in her dress, tattered as it was. Still in a daze and half asleep, Lydia thought that she was falling when he set her down. Crying out his name she began to thrash around, frightened.

Hearing her call out his name sent shivered of happiness through his spine. Wearing his almost-human, clean form, Beetlejuice knelt down over top of her, holding her close again. For the first time he could remember, he was warm, truly warm and he felt almost…alive.

Lydia was jerked awake by the drop in temperature and she gasped in surprise when she saw a figure very close to her. She blushed madly.

"Beej?"

He smiled at her, reassuring her. Lydia smiled back.

"Thank you, for coming to my rescue." She said genuinely. "Even if it IS only because you need me alive to get out of here." She accidentally mumbled her thoughts aloud.

"I did only want out of here…but now…I don't know. You've made me…different." He smiled dreamily at her. "I'm not so sure that's all I want any more." He whispered the last part.

Lydia cocked her head, frowning slightly. She began to worry that it was because he realized that he may have to marry her and that disgusted him now.

"Beej…do you find me repulsive now? Do you not want to marry me?" She asked, again speaking aloud without meaning to. She looked away. "I know I promised to find an alternative and that I have so far failed…"

Lydia sighed, slipping off of the bed so she was standing on her own two feet. The strap of her dress slipped farther down her shoulder.

"I'm gonna go take a walk." She said as she headed for the door.

"Lydia, please, don't go." Beetlejuice begged, his voice small and light as she sat up off the bed, longing in his eyes.

Lydia looked back at him, shocked at hearing her full name. She smiled.

"I told you I wasn't going to leave you, Beej. Don't worry, I'll keep my promise. I'll be back." She said, not understanding that wasn't what he was talking about.

Something else stirred inside him, something different from what he felt earlier, but closely related. Not really understanding why himself, he stood up off the bed and walked over to Lydia.

"No, Lydia. I mean don't leave me now."

Lydia looked up at him, her eyes wavering, her body and soul becoming drunk with the feel and the smell of him so close to her.

Beetlejuice looked back at the girl-no, the _woman, _for she was no longer a girl-he had known so long ago. She had grown up so much since he had last seen her. He fought a smile. Though she covered herself in dark and depressing things, they only served to make the bright flame of her personality palatable, like a dark shade might keep a lamp from beeing too blinding to someone who wasn't used to the light. Her dark exterior merely made her comfortable to be around for Beetlejuice. But it was her brightness, her flame, her vivacity, how she made him, who had been dead for so long, feel so _alive _that drew him to her like a moth to a flame.

Beetlejuice sighed to himself, looking her over once again, taking in the curves of her small body, the way her lips made a slight pout that hinted at a delectable softness. The way her hair framed her pale face, highlighting her ivory skin and the wonderful depths of her eyes.

For the first time in a long, long time he truly regretted being dead, even if when he was with Lydia he didn't fel like he was. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. What was happening to him? Sure, Lydia was a nice girl but she'd never really want to be caught up with a worthless slob like him. She could do so much better. Besides, he assured himself, anything he felt for hercouldnt be reciprocated. She still thought he was a truly self-centered monster. He smiled at Lydia, the expression genuine even though it played like a mask to hide his inner doubt and turmoil. He was dead, he reminded himself, and beyond the loves and lusts of the living. In fact, he thought, he was _above _those things. He was _Beetlejuice, the Ghost with the Most! _After all, hadn't he just kicked some ghostly butt?

He didn't _need _Lydia.

He didn't need anyone.

The smile faded away, as he tried to believe this.

Did he?

Lydia stared up at Beetlejuice, her soul reaching out for him, wanting something…but she wasn't sure what exactly. She did know she wanted to be his friend so badly (yet something inside of her whispered she wanted more) but she was so afraid. He only had her around for his own needs. He was only nice to her because he needed her to free him. Lydia reached up and without thinking began to caress the strands of hair that hung in his face. They were so soft. How could something so dead feel so alive and soft? Her heart ached.

Confused, Lydia pulled her hand away and looked down at her feet. WHY did her heart ache at even the mention of his name? Why did she feel the need to be with him Whu did she WANT him to LIKE her?! Lydia closed her eyes, clenching them tightly shut. Why did it hurt so badly to be with him and know he couldn't be hers? Whatever THAT was supposed to mean.

The poltergeist didn't realize just how much he had turned her whole world topsy turvy since the very first day she had met him, begging him to help…begging for a friend. She chuckled inwardly. Instead of a friend she got a fiancee…

Lydia looked back up into his eyes, those cursed emerald eyes that floored her every time she looked into them. Even back then they had floored her, causing her cheeks to get more color than was necessary. Why did she feel like this? She couldn't lo-

Her eyes widened suddenly and she pushed against his chest so she could jump out of his arms.

Oh Lord…she couldn't!

As she saw his eyebrow cock at her almost broke down.

She did…

Falling to the ground she covered her face with her hands and sobbed into them. She had fallen in love with _Beetlejuice!_

At the sight of Lydia falling to the ground, a thousand conflicting emotions swirled through Beetlejuice's mind. He first felt outright worry and fear. What was wrong? His heart cried, wanting to take away whatever pained her, wanting her to be happy. He felt ashamed, for he figured whatever it was, it was probably his fault.

He also felt angry and confused, because he was powerless to do anything to comfort her. _Comforting _people wasn't what Beetlejuice did. He made people have breakdowns, but now he wanted to help someone snap out of one, he was at a loss on what to do.

Suddenly he too dropped to his knees, doing what felt natural, even though his mind screamed at him to just leave her alone, to not get involved in whatever it was. Whatever was upsetting her couldn't possivly affect HIM could it? He didn't need her to be happy to get him out of here, just alive.

Shame in his eyes both for the way his mind fought him, and the fact that it did so at all, he asked softly.

"Lydia, what's wrong toots? You're too pretty to be this sad."

Lydia looked up at him, her eyes shining with tears widened slightly as her hands came down to rest at her throat.

"Y-you think I'm pretty?" She whispered. "No one thinks I'm pretty."

"Oh come on now Lyd. You must have all the guys tripping over themselves just looking at you." He laughed wholeheartedly then added. "You broads really do worry about the silliest things. A guy would have to be bent to think you weren't pretty."

Lydia blinked.

"Beej. Why do you think I was so desperate to die and get into the Netherworld when I first met you? No one likes me, Beej I get picked on constantly! Not ONCE has a guy tried talking to me let alone flirt with me!" She scoffed. "Heck, I'm nineteen and I havent even been kissed yet!"

Beyond himself at the invitation, and without any conscious decision to do so, Beetlejuice leaned over, knocking Ldia softly onto her back, his arms wrapped around her so he could hold her back and her head as he urgently and hungrily kissed her, fire exploding from the touch of her lips upon his.

Lydia brought so many first into Beetlejuice's life. Tonight marked the first time he'd truly felt alive in so long he couldn't remember. The liquid fire that poured through him at her touch was so strong, so overwhelming that its electric power fried his brain and made his hairs stand on end. It was so stron that he thought he'd faint at the pleasure of it.

Lydia stiffened at the sheer shock of it all. Was Beetlejuice _kissing _her?? Her breath hitched as she felt him press further into her, as if begging for a response. Yup, he was definatly kissing her. Overwelmed with happiness and shock, Lydia immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling the, strangely enough, _warm _skin there. Her heart felt thick and heavy as if it were smiling. She was kissing the one she loved.

Her first kiss.

Scared and innocent, she slowly kissed him back, opening her mouth slightly and moving her lips afainst his. Her face flushed. She prayed she was doing this right as her hand sifted through that wonderfully soft blonde hair.

Feeling her return his kiss removed any hesitancey and doubt inside him. Blissfully surrendering to the lust-tinged love that enveloped him he pulled himself closer to her, his body now melding against hers, that he might more fully experience all the wonder she had to offer. Reflexively, he sent his tongue over her lips, seeking hers and being pleasantly surprised that her lips tasted wonderfully. When they met he was met with another explosion of emotional fire that, this one however centered in his stomach, which sent what felt like flaming butterflies tingling through his body.

Lydia's fingers clutched at his shoulders at the feel of his tongue against hers. It sent her body into a roaring fire. Tears wet the corners of her eyes. She loved him and she knew that eventually she would be sent back to her world. Even if she married him…he would never stay around. He wanted out so he could do his own thing. She would never see him.

But _she _needed _him._

And she wanted him to be her first if not her only.

Pulling away slightly she whispered huskily into his ear.

"Show me why you're the ghost with the most…"

Hearing his catch phrase triggered something is the higher regions of Beetlejuice's brain. This part, though used to being ignored and ill-treated by Beetlejuice, was very insistent. So with a sigh and a painful twisting of self-will and control, Beetlejuice, with great regret, pulled himself slightly away from Lydia, love still boiling in his eyes, raging passion barely held in check.

"Alright Lyds."

He kissed her on the top of the head before standing up and pulling her to her feet with him. Once standingm he hugged her tightly, then stood, holding her hands at arms length.

Lydia stared up at him, hurt and feeling quite rejected.

He didn't want her either.

Lydia clenched her fists and looked away, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall.

"You're a sweet kid, Lyds, and you are the most amazing person I've ever met. I'd love nothing more than to…well, to give you what you asked for," Despite his bravado, he continued the blush that had started since he first kissed her, "But I…can't…"

Smiling to try and emphasize the fact that she should be happy too, he slid up next to her and kissed her again, as passionately as before, careful not to let himself get _too _into it, lest he lost his control and…well, he just shouldn't lose his control.

Not yet.

When he finally pulled away, his head spinning and love-drunk, he said, caring in his eyes.

"Lyds, don't ever, _ever _think I don't _want _to. Its just that, contrary to how I act most of the time, I have learned in my long death that the best things are worth waiting for.

Lydia refused to look at him, the tears wetting her fark eyelashes, shadows playing on her cheeks. She had embarrassed herself in front of him. She wanted to…and she…but he…

Lydia bit her lower lip.

She pulled away slightly before leaning in close to his ear.

"I love you." She whispered, her face turing an even darker shade of red and her embarrassment growing tenfold.

Before she could see his reaction she began fast walking for the door, needing to get out.

Beetlejuice felt life course through his veins, breathed into him by her words. He loved her too, he realized, and all the confusion and pain hed been in the past few days stemmed from his fighting that core, fundamental feeling.

He'd always loved her, admittedly or not, he suddenly realized as well, which was part of why he'd chosen _her _of all humans to wed him. The concept of having the marriage get him out of purgatory was merely a ruse to hide his feelings from himself. He felt ashamed, but at the same time he felt like a weight was lifted from his shoulders.

Reaching out to stop her, he hugged her close, pressing his lips firmly against hers and kissed her until she began to beat against his chest in protest. Only then did he release her enough to press his forehead against hers and whisper.

"Lydia, I love you too."

Lydia froze against him, her heart pounding against her chest so furiously she feared it would leave her body. She breathed him in. COULD he love? He had said he was glad that those feeling were gone. Shocked, she looked up into his eyes.

She still cursed those eyes…

"Wh-what did you say…?" She whispered so faintly he could barely hear her.

"I said…" He met her gaze, falling for a moment into the divine. "I said that I love you." He looked slightly confused for a moment, then continued.

"It's funny though, I didn't know I still could…"

"Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD." Said a voice they both knew and cringed to hear from behind them.

"But you always had a problem with that, didn't you Beetlejuice?"

Beetlejuice spun around and glared at his former co-worker…Juno.

(YAY! CONFESSIONS! But Uh oh, Juno has come to ruin the day! An ANGRY Juno, Run Beetlejuice Run…)


	6. Chapter 6

(Alrighty, we are on Chapter Six!! We're almost done! YAY! Heehee.)

"Great timing, as always." He grumbled.

Juno glared at him spitefully.

"You really shouldn't be talking Beetlejuice, you're in enough shit as it is! Do you realize how much paper work you are causing me?!"

Beetlejuice shrugged, blowing it off as he always did.

"June-bug, chill. No harm done."  
"BULLSHIT!" She bellowed.

Beetlejuice stared ad her in shock. Juno threw down her cigarette and pointed at Lydia.

"You took this poor girl HOSTAGE! _HOSTAGE, _BEETLEJUICE! We gave you a warning after pulling that smart-ass stunt three years ago! After we LET YOU GO, you PULL THIS! She has a FAMILY, Beetlejuice! She is ALIVE! What the Hell is wrong with you?!"

Juno looked at the frightened girl with a sympathetic look.

"And now you're lying to her to get what you want, _again_._" _She hissed, looking back at him.

"You've always been a great liar. But playing with her emotions? That is just SICK!"

Lydia pulled away from Beetlejuice and stared up at him, eyes wide.

"Were you lying…just now?" She whispered, hurt and pain obvious in her voice.

Beetlejuice shook his head frantically.

"NO! Of course not! How-_why _would I lie about _that_?" He said bitterly. "I'm a ghost not a monster!"

He looked at Juno.

"The kid and I had a _deal_, Juno, and she didn't hold up her end of it. That's why I took her here in the first place. I wasn't going to hurt her but now I-"

"That is NOT in the code and you damn well know it!" She hissed.

"Screw your code." Spat Beetlejuice, reaching for Lydia.

Juno saw him reach for her. She looked over at Lydia and sighed sadly.

"Honey, I'm so sorry."

And with a snap of her fingers Lydia disappeared, landing on her own bed in the Maitland homestead.

Beetlejuice's eyes widened as he stared in horror up at Juno.

"WHAT DID YOU DO WITH HER? GIVE HER BACK!"

Juno shook her head.

"I've done all I can for you Beetlejuice. But the council won't hear it anymore. One, you will never see or hear from that girl again. Two, you know why? The council has voted to exorcise you! And while you die I want you to think about how you have screwed up and scarred that poor girl's life!"

Fire burned in Beetlejuice's eyes. Forget getting out of this place, in one fell swoop Juno had taken away his chances of _ever _being happy or _ever _being loved.  
"Bring her back!" He cried out, his voice cracking despite his efforts.

Without Lydia he suddenly didn't care what happened to him. He didn't care if Juno shattered him into a thousand shards and fed them to the sandworms (Ugh, Sandworms…) He didn't care if he was exorcised, or banished, or _anything._ All he knew, all he cared about at that moment was that Lydia was gone.

Juno stared sadly at the fuming boy who had never known she was his great grandmother.

"I'm sorry." Was all she said before snapping her fingers again, transferring them to her office where the council waited.

Lydia looked around her room, shocked that she was back. Closing her eyes tightly she clutched at her heart. It ached so badly. She wanted Beetlejuice…but he was always just using her. He could never love. He was dead.

'Necropheliac.' The synical part of her snickered.

Lydia frowned at the thought then her mind wandered back to Juno and Beetlejuice. What was she going to do to him? She sounded like she was really angry…suddenly she remembered one word Juno had hissed.

Exorsism.

Lydia jumped off the bed.

NO!

Beetlejuice may be a manipulative cur but she still loved him and she couldn't let him die again! Tears burning her eyes she ran to the attic.

"ADAM! BARBARA! I NEED YOUR HELP!"

Beetlejuice looked around at the walls of his holding cell, the tiny barred window letting enough light to see by, but not much more. He'd been placed in solitary confinement, something about inflicting his company on the other inmates being cruel and unusual. In the mood he was currently in, that was probably a good idea. He boiled over with anger, the rage being the only thing keeping him from slipping into a depression. He wanted to…well he didn't really know. He wanted to hurt Juno for breaking him away from Lydia--even more so for apparently making Lydia think that he was just using her when he himself had just realized how untrue that truly was. But at the same time, he knew that Juno was just doing her job, and he knew that hurting her would just be cruel and achieve nothing, something he really wasn't interested in.

But still, the thought was tempting.

Lydia thought he was still only using her.

The thought tore through his heart, through his soul really, seeing as that's all his current form was wrought of.

He hated that thought, hated it more than Juno, more then the feeling of lonliness and fear he currently felt. He wouldn't mind being exorcised quite so much but he hated the idea that he might be gone forever, and in his passing he would only be remembered by the person he loved as a manipulative self-centered jerk.

Lydia pushed open the attic door to see Adam bent over, working on his miniature model and Barbara reading a book on the dusty couch. Barb jumped up at the sight of Lydia, who had tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

"LYDIA!" Barb cried as she wrapped the girl in a hug. "I'm so glad you are ok! We thought he'd never let you go!"

Lydia hugged Barb tighter, shaking her head.

"No! That's not it! He never hurt me, Barb!"

Adam had come over at this point and stared at both his wife and the girl they both considered to be a daughter.

Confused, Barbara let Lydia to the couch.

"Honey, what's going on?"

Lydia wiped her eyes and began to explain her adventure to both ghosts. Barbara looked over at her husband sadly. Their poor little girl had fallen in love, it was clear before she even said anything.

"Oh Lydia, honey." Barb said soothingly as she moved the bangs from Lydia's face. "He was conniving you…just like he did three years ago…"

Lydia stiffened.

"I-I know…but I cant help it! I don't know how or why it happened…but I love him, Barb! And they're going to exorcise him! I cant let that happen! You have to help me!"  
Adam sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Lydia. He cant be let loose. This is for the best, you have to understand. Sweetie, he will just cause harm to the living…he IS a bio exorcist."

Lydia clutched on to Barb as if she were a lifeline, shaking her head.

"NO! I cant Adam! PLEASE, help me!"

Barbara looked up at Adam, begging with him.  
"Adam…we cant do this to her…"

Adam grumbled as he began to pace.

"Fine, let's go."

Beetlejuice paced back and forth inside his cell, knowing he should rest so he'd have a clear mind to face the oncoming trial with, but he couldn't bring himself to cal down enough to do so.

He was scared of the trial, really, he didn't want to be exprcised, especially with Lydia thinking so poorly of him, and he didn't have any faith in his ability to talk his way out of this one…he knew the judge hated him. It was rigged from the start.

He sighed. He wished Lydia was here so he could have a final chance to explain things and to at least apologize and say goodbye.

Two burly looking ghosts threw Beetlejuice onto the floor in front of Juno and another ghost who wore a judge's outfit.

"Keh, I bet that gets all the ladies." Beetlejuice sneered at the judge.

Juno glared at him.

"Beetlejuice! You're not helping your case any!"

"Well, I'm sure I'm going to get a fair conviction here anyway, June Bug." He leered angrily at the judge, and at the jury which oddly seemed to be composed entirely of ghosts who hated Beetlejuice the most.

Juno sighed, rubbing her temples.

"Beetlejuice, please. Let's just get this over with, shall we?"

She looked up at the judge.

"Proceed."

Suddenly Beetlejuice threw a pair of rotting boxers at the judge before he could hit his gavel to begin the proceedings.

"BEETLEJUICE! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" The indignant judiciary decried, pushing the rotting undergarments away from him with the handle of the gavel, disgust apparent on his face.

"Well, I figured you'd want my briefs before we got started with this." Beetlejuice snickered, obviously pleased with himself.

At this the jury began to murmur angrily amongst themselves, discussing what a disgusting character Beetlejuice was, and what a nicer place this would be without him. The judge banged his gavel loudly on the desk.

"Order! Order in the court!"

Not one to miss an opportunity for a bad pun, Beetlejuice slid up to the bench, a McDonald's outfit suddenly replacing the Judge's robes and a speaker box appearing out of nowhere.

"Yes, I'll have a double cheesebooger and some fries! Oh and a coke, but no ice." Beetlejuice said into the speaker.

He turned to Juno and said. "You want something' toots? You look like you enjoy a good meal."

Juno grumbled, there was no saving her great grandson. Even though he knew what he was up against he was still goofing off! Sighing, she snapped her fingers and Beetlejuice was forced down to his knees, his hands being tied behind his back by a magical rope.

"Hey now Babe, I didn't know you were into the rough stuff." He said with a sarcastic leer.

"Mr. Beetlejuice!" The judge exclaimed. "You are making a mockery of this court. I will be forced to remove you from this room to be tried in-absentia if you continue with this, and since you have rejected our provided council and neglected to provide yourself with your own, your odds of winning this case are close to zero."

Beetlejuice laughed bitterly.

"Hey now, you morons were making a mockery of this court long before you hauled me here for this horse and pony show. This jury's rigged and your "provided council" couldn't argue the court security into letting him into the courtroom! I'm just havin' some fun before you burn my buns."

He then summoned in his illusionary "cheesebooger", it's buns clearly burnt, and took a bite of it, quickly spitting it back out.

"Hey! I wanted plain with only one pickle! See if I order from you nincompoops again!"

The judge sneered at him in disgust before standing up.

"Fine Beetlejuice, if this is the way you want it to be, then so be it. I sentence you to exorcism!

Juno closed her eyes sadly.

Beetlejuice grumbled, fear gripping him for a moment.

Death for the dead…

Sighing he hung his head, his blonde bangs covering his eyes so no one could see his feelings . The two burly ghosts who had dragged him were approaching him and he stiffened, ready for their cold hands when the door suddenly burst open.

"WAIT!" Came a desperate cry that sounded all too familiar.

Lydia ran through the door into the room, her hair was up in a messy bun, much like when she had first met Beetlejuice.

Beetlejuice's eyes snapped open, locking on Lydia, hope welling in them as his heart swelled.

She'd come back for him! His spirits soared. Maybe she knew that he still loved her, that he wasn't using her, he dared to pray.

"Lydia…" He murmured under his breath, not wanting to draw any attention back to his condemned person, hoping beyond hope that she'd find a way to get him out of the hole he'd dug himself in.

Juno's eyes widened and everyone else in the room gasped at the sight of the small living girl running to stand in front of Beetlejuice, her arms spread out as if that would protect him.

"Please!" Lydia begged as she stared at Juno and the judge. "Please don't do this!"

Both Juno and the judge blinked in shock.

"What is the meaning of this kid, and how did you know about this place?!" The judge snapped.

Lydia placed a hand on her chest.

"I'm the girl you are punishing him for!"

The judge sat back in his chair.

"Then you most of all should want this cur out of here."

Lydia shook her head.

"NO! Not once did he do anything to hurt me! Please, I'm begging you! Just let him go!"

The judge raised an eyebrow at her before glaring behind her at Beetlejuice.

"Did you pocess this child?"

Lydia moved so she was blocking his view, another attempt to protect him.

"No! I am of sound mind and body! Now LET HIM GO!"

The judge was in shock. What was wrong with this girl? Why was she PROTECTING the evil creature behind her?

"If you are not processed then why in the two worlds would you PROTECT this bastard?" He hissed, thoroughly confused.

Lydia hung her head, a tear traveling down her cheek.

"Because …because I love him…" She whispered, barely audible.

The tear splashed onto the cold floor before her.

Beetlejuice's heart soared, and he jumped up to his feet, trying to reach Lydia but he was suddenly jerked back to his knees by his retraints.

Lydia spun around to look at Beetlejuice for the first time.

"You are a lying, conniving jerk…" She whispered to him as she stepped closer to him. "And I know all of this was part of your master plan."

She kneeled down in front of him, his eyes were wide and staring at her in shock. She seemed to be in a trance of her own, forgetting everyone around her but Beetlejuice.

"And yet…I can't seem to stop loving you." She whispered as she took his face into her hands and pulled her mouth down on top of his, trying to prove in that kiss that he had her heart.

Beetlejuice melted into her kiss. SHE STILL LOVED HIM!! Something inside his chest fluttered a bit as liquid fire coursed through his long-dead veins.

Juno looked surprised as Beetlejuice somehow ripped free of his restraints and wrapped his arms around the small girl in front of him, holding her close to him.

Reluctantly he pulled away and whispered into her ear.

"Don't ever leave me again Lydia. I love you, I love you so much. I don't know how-I don't care, but please, even if they do exorcise me, I want you to know that you have my soul. As long as you love me and remember me fondly, that's all I need."

Somehow, in the hushed silence of the room, his voice carried to the ears of everyone present.

Lydia's eyes widened as she looked into his emerald pools.

"You really love me?" She whispered, brushing the bangs from his face.

In response Beetlejuice closed his eyes and leaned in, holding her close to him as he put all of his soul into the kiss, his passion burning through him.

He marveled to himself, at how warm and how _soft _she was. For a woman as skinny and lithe as Lydia was, he would have expected her to be more bony, not his warm pillow-like softness that enveloped him, beckoning him to relax, to revel, marvel and exult in his joy. He had never felt as at home, as _right _as he did in Lydia's arms.

Lydia thrust her hands into his hair, pulling him closer to her, her whole body flushed and on fire.

Beetlejuice and Lydia by now overwhelmed and blinded by the passion they felt for each other, had completely forgotten everything but the relief they felt, and the love they felt.

Fire continued to burn it's way through Beetlejuice's body and, for the first time in centuries, he felt a stirring below, felt a need, felt Lydia so willing, so close to him. Grumbling, he gripped her shoulders and pulled away slightly. She was smiling up at him worridly.

The judge banged his gavel.

"KID! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU ARE DOING!"

Lydia stood up and faced the judge once more.

"Yes. Look, I…he wont kill anyone! He WOULDN'T! I know he wouldn't!"

Beetlejuice grumbled slightly. There went his reputation…of course…that had been shot the second he had reached out for Lydia in front of everyone.

Juno stared at the two, especially the way her great grandson watched protectively over the small goth girl, the love he held in his eyes…it was nothing fake. For once, Beetlejuice was telling the truth, and all it had taken was a human girl who had once outwitted him. Slowly, Juno walked over to Lydia.

"Darling, you need to go now…"

Lydia blinked.

"What? NO! I-" Lydia was interrupted by the snap of Juno's fingers, which sent her back to her own world.

"LYDIA!" Beetlejuice shouted as he wrapped his arms around the puff of smoke that had just been her miliseconds earlier.

Juno stared at Beetlejuice solemly. Beetlejuice closed his eyes, his whole body shaking so hard that he had to try to force himself to remain kneeling and motionless which his as his muscles groaned in protest.

Juno looked up at the judge.

"Larry," She sighed. "He isn't lying this time. By God, that gril actually made him fall in love. You remember what that feels like, don't you?'

The judge glared at both broken poltergeist and the elder woman.

"Yes bit I lost what I loved and this insnt about-"

"Larry, you're making these two lose what they love. Just let them go.:

"NO! I will not have him causing chaos in my Neitherworld anymore!"

Juno grinned triumphantly.

"Then he wont stay here."

The judge raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about, Juno?"

Juno stepped up to the judge to whisper in his ear so Beetlejuice couldn't hear.

The judge's eyes widened.

"Are you nuts old hag??"

Juno shook her head and whispered some more.

The judge smirked at Beetlejuice.

Beetlejuice swallowed, tears still flowing, but he managed to look up, his eyes still glassy and red to look at the judge.

Dared he hope?

"Alright Beetlejuice. I don't want to EVER see you set foot here again! You hear me? I don't want you back in my Neitherworld for at least another sixty years!"

Beetlejuice blinked, how the heck was he supposed to manage that one? HE WAS DEAD! HE LIVED HERE! Even when he was exorcised he'd still be HERE.

Juno walked up to him, smiling.

"Get a life." She grumbled, though obviously teasing him for the first time in ages.

At her words Beetlejuice felt a tremendous pain sore through his body, doubling him over. Air rushed to his lungs, a large weight in his chest throbbing with life. Wincing he looked at his hands, which were gaining a pinkish hue. He looked at Juno in shock. She grinned at him and in a flash he was gone, landing on the harsh cement of the sidewalk.

He looked at his body and marveled at it. He was alive!

(HE'S BAAACK!!!!! Beejers is alive! EGAD! lol, Hope you liked this chapter! There's probably about one or two more after this, i havent decided how much.)


	7. Chapter 7

(OMG! IT'S THE LAST CHAPTER! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!! Thank you to everyone who reviewed and kept up with the story Suzuka13, Aisyy, and darkbangle! You guys are so sweet!)

There was no denying it this time, he decided. He could feel the blood coursing through his veins, could feel the air upon his skin, and not in the feathery, ethereal way he'd become accustomed to, but in full, marvelous detail. He could feel the weight of his flesh, his bones, finally once again controlled by the laws of nature and of gravity.

Suddenly his chest started to burn in pain and before he knew it he reflexively took a huge gasp of air. That's right, he needed to breathe again! The air felt glorious in his lungs. The wonder of it all reminding him of how he felt when Lydia had kissed him before.

Lydia!

He needed to find her! Beetlejuice tried to jump up, but instead of springing to the sky like he normally would have, he sprung up…and over, back onto the ground in a tangle of limbs. He'd have to take things slow until he got used to this living thing again.

Lydia cried into her pillow, which was soaking wet as it is. She missed him so badly. Why had they taken him from her?! They could have worked things out! Or they at least could have tried!

A knock came upon her door.

"Lydia, honey, you have to come out. You have been in there for days! You need to get back to school, love, or you'll fall behind. And it would be good for you…" Came Barbara's concerned voice.

Lydia shook her head.

"NO!" Came her muffled cry.

Barbara sighed and looked over at her husband and Lydia's father, who shared the same sad expression. Lydia was broken, she was no longer the strong-willed, independent, stubborn girl. Her heart had been ripped from her and they didn't know how to make her feel better, to bring her back.

Finally managing to pick himself up from the ground, Beetlejuice staggered off down the road. All this seemed so familiar he thought, but at the same time it was like he was seeing the town for the first time. Cars zoomed past him, some honking their horns loudly (to which Beetlejuice had some unrepeatable replies), some merely swerving around the odd man in the road.

Lydia wiped her dry, sticky face. She still wanted to cry so badly but she could no longer produce tears. She had lost some weight in the past couple of days due to lack of eating. She hadn't been hungry. All she wanted was Beetlejuice. But she _needed _to get out of this cursed room. Sliding open her window, she shimmied down the drain pipe so no one would know she had left. Besides, she was just going for a walk, it wasn't like she was gonna disappear…again.

Lydia was freezing, she hadn't even bothered to grab a jacket to cover herself. She was only covered in a small tank top and her underwear which resembled boxers. However, at the moment she didn't care. She never had cared what people thought of her, not really anyway. Why start now when she felt so low as it is? Rubbing her arms, trying to provide some warmth against the October weather, her breath coming out in small puffs of smoke. She wasn't even watching where she was going any more. She was just wandering aimlessly, thinking about the good times she had started to share with Beetlejuice.

Beetlejuice walked through the woods, muttering to himself to stop from thinking about how frigging cold it was. He was wearing a leather jacket and leggings, under which he had wool underlings (the clothes he had been wearing when he died those hundreds of years earlier). The woolen garmets had once kept him warm against the harshest winters the America's could muster, yet this cold was biting and the chill was such that he knew if he didn't get to the Maitland's homestead before nightfall, he'd have to start a fire or freeze to death because he had no money and no way of renting a room for the night.

Lydia continued to walk through the park, her skin now taking on a bluish hue, her teeth chattering and her lips quivering. She knew she should go back but she couldn't seem to control her body anymore, it just kept walking. In the distance she saw a young man coming down the path. She sighed. Great. She had hoped she wouldn't see ANYONE. She needed to be _alone. _Hanging her head so her hair covered her face, she continued to walk.

Beetlejuice looked ahead, seeing a girl with black hair, her head hung and holding herself against the cold (why she was out in the cold dressed like that he couldn't imagine) walking toward him. He frowned, thinking to himself that she looked oddly familiar. He didn't really like to talk to random girls, especially with what had happened the last time, but he felt impelled to help this lady. She was going to freeze to death out here dressed like that!

"Hey!" He yelled, trying to be heard through the slight fog that was forming from the spitting rain and cold. "You allright there toots?"

Lydia turned her head, trying to avoid eye contact.

"Fine." She mumbled as she tried to brush past him.

"Fine my foot!" He said, looking at her. "You look like a freshly plucked chicken with all those goosebumps. It would be criminal of me to leave you out here like this. Where do you live?" He said, concern on his face despite his inclination to leave this girl to her own devices.

Lydia stopped and sighed, her head slightly lifting.

"I just need to be alone, ok?" She asked, her voice tight as she tried to hold back tears.

"No one needs to be alone." Said Beetlejuice, approaching her and putting his hands on her shoulders to keep her from running away from him. He still didn't know who this was, but he knew that he didn't want to start off his second chance at life by being completely the same self-centered jerk he'd been before. Besides, he knew Lydia would never let him hear the end of it if something were to happen to this girl and he had been able to prevent it.

"C'mon, let me at least walk you home. You can be alone there."

Lydia began to feel the bitter wind and she hissed softly, kneeling down to the ground and curled up into a fetal position, trying to preserve what body heat she had left. Grumbling and hating the fact that she was showing her weakened state, Lydia made herself stand up and she turned around, heading back where she came from.

"I-I can do it." She whispered almost unheard, her body shaking violently.

Suddenly from behind her, she felt two stranger's arms wrap around her, wrapping her in his jacket.

"Not without some help, you wont. Come on, don't make me do anything drastic here toots."

Lydia stiffened if that was even possible at this point. He smelled…tears came to her eyes, he smelled just like _him_. Why was life torturing her like this?? Without thinking she leaned against him slightly, wishing it was him.

"What's your name?" Came his soft voice.

Lydia shook her head. What was she doing? She was ready to give herself up to a stranger just because he smelled and felt like the one she loved?? Closing her eyes tightly she spun around to face him, shrugging off the jacket and trying to hand it to him.

"Look, I'm sorry. I can get home on my own. Thank you though."

With that she tried to run down the path.

Beetlejuice stood there for a moment in shock, his jacket in his hand. She looked just like…

"Lydia?" He asked in a hopeful voice.

Lydia stopped dead in her tracts, her back to him. Slowly she turned to face him, her eyes wide with a little fear.

"H-how do you know my name?" She shook.

Beetlejuice walked briskly up to her, a grin on his face. He wrapped his jacket once more around her quivering shoulders and said:  
"Maybe this will answer your question."

With that he wrapped his arms around her, his hand resting on the small of her back and pulled her body to him, his other hand behind her head and his lips descending onto hers. Lydia's eyes widened in shock but she couldn't stop the warm feeling of liquid fire burning within her at the kiss. She closed her eyes tightly as she pushed the boy off of her. She covered her mouth in shock and horror. This boy she had never met before had just kissed her and she had LIKED it!! She choked, feeling terrible at the realization that she had betrayed Beetlejuice…again.

"YOU JERK!" She shouted as she backed away from him, still staring at him wide eyed.  
He was extremely attractive, that was for sure. He looked so oddly familiar with his thick, blonde hair and green eyes…but she couldn't place it. Her heart sunk suddenly. He had blonde hair and green eyes…just like Beetlejuice. Curse fate.  
"Lydia!" The boy said. "You have always called me a jerk and you are more than welcome to continue to do so but can you do so inside where we're not freazing to death??"  
Lydia continued to back up, fear in her eyes.  
"Wh-what are you talking about? I don't even know you!"  
Suddenly she tripped over an unearthed root and fell backwards. Beetlejuice cackled slightly at her as he held out his hand.  
"Of course you do, babes. What? Don't recognize me cuz I'm alive?" He grinned.

Lydia blinked, her lips parting slightly. Her heart was pounding in her chest so harshly she thought it would break free. She cocked her head, studying him. It couldn't be! They exorcized him! He was gone!  
Words were beyond her. She had no idea what to say or do. She desperately WANTED this boy to be Beetlejuice but it was so far beyond impossible! Without thinking she lifted her hand to place into his, being drawn in by his eyes.  
"I…" Lydia hung her head. "This is impossible. I'm hallucinating now…"  
She knew she should pull away from this stranger but she wanted to be near him, he reminded her of HIM. Guilt tore through her, she couldn't betray him! She couldn't!  
Beetlejuice, seeing the pain and confusion in her eyes, pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her again, holding her close to him. He hoped that his warmth would take away her pain and confusion as well as keep her warm.  
He was liking this whole being warm and alive thing.  
Lydia blushed. She felt so safe in his arms…they were so warm and inviting. Lydia tried to push away. Another reason this couldn't be Beetlejuice. BJ was DEAD, he was COLD.

"I can't do this…" She whispered, trying to keep her gaze down. "I have…I_ had _someone else."  
Suddenly she was at arm's length, emerald eyes boring into hers.  
"Who? Who else?" Asked a frantic Beetlejuice, not knowing that she still did not understand who he was and that she was talking about him.  
Lydia looked up at the boy.  
"Someone I loved very much and…someone else took him away from me." She choked, gripping his shirt tightly, needing to be comforted, needing to be warm.  
"They took him!" She sobbed.  
"What? Lyds, you never told me you had a boyfriend before me!" Said Beetlejuice, flabbergasted.  
Lydia blinked, clearly confused.  
"I NEVER WENT OUT WITH YOU!" She snapped, pulling away from him, becoming cold once more.  
This boy MUST have her confused with someone else! She was sure she had never seen him before in her life!  
Honestly hurt this time, Beetlejuice just stood there before he said in a small voice.  
"I guess that's true, Lyds. But I never really got a chance to, I mean I don't even know what you kids do on dates now-a-days. I haven't been alive in centuries."  
Lydia began to feel funny. He was beginning to act too much like Beetlejuice…it was starting to freak her out!!! A small shred of hope, and feeling quite stupid, went through her as she cocked her head, her brows furrowed in a way that usually made Beetlejuice blush.  
"B-Beej?" She asked softly, heart beating fast.  
"Yeah Lyds?" He replied sadly.  
Lydia squeaked as she jumped backwards, eyes wide once more.

"Wh-what??! IT'S YOU!! HOW???!!!" She was breathing heavily now.  
'I think I have finally lost it…' She thought to herself.  
When he just starred at her, Lydia grabbed his wrist and drug him all the way back to her house. Ok, serious talking was going to ensue. She needed answers NOW.

Lydia snuck up to her room with Beetlejuice in tow. Once she was inside she ran to her bathroom and started the water.  
"Wait here." She ordered. "I need to warm up…you can talk to me through the door."  
With that she ran back into the bathroom and Beetlejuice heard the water splash slightly as she entered the tub.  
Beetlejuice, always having had a problem with choosing between the rules were and what he wanted to do, was true to his form and did what he wanted to do…he opened the door to Lydia's bathroom and strolled boldly through.

Lydia eeped at the sight of Beetlejuice. She wanted to scream at him to get out but she knew her parents would come rushing in. Her face bright red, she slid further into the bubbles, making sure she was covered.  
"Get out!" She hissed, her face looking quite red.  
Beetlejuice shut the door behind him, mischief evident in the gleeful expression he wore as he sat down, taking in the sight of Lydia bathing.  
"Naw, I'm good right here, Lyds." He grinned with a slight pause. "Though actually now that you mention it, I haven't taken a real bath in such a long time and that tub looks pretty big.  
His eyes sparkled.  
Her eyes widened, her mouth dropping open slightly.  
Yup, that was definitely Beetlejuice.

She sighed before smiling.  
"So…how? Why? I thought they had exorcized you! I was so worried!" She cried out all at once without thinking.  
Beetlejuice blinked before smiling.  
"I honestly don't know babes…one minute I'm doomed, the next you show up…and everything is alright." His smile grew. "Kinda seems to be how it is lately…"  
Lydia blushed.

Beetlejuice smiled before walking out to her bedroom, giving her some privacy. Anxious and not wanting to be away from him anymore, Lydia jumped out of the bathtub, threw on her robe and rushed into her room.  
"Oh…so…how long?" She dared to ask.

Beetlejuice stretched nonchalantly.  
"Until death do us part, Dear Lyds." He teased.  
Lydia laughed.  
"That was unofficial, Beej!"

Beetlejuice suddenly got down on one knee and took her hand, staring up at her.  
"Wanna try again?"

Lydia blinked.  
"Are you…are you being serious?"

Beetlejuice nodded, a little nervous now.  
Lydia grinned happily before jumping into his arms, wrapping her own around his neck.  
"YES! Wait…what are you going to be called now?" She asked curiously. "I can't call you Beetlejuice."

Beetlejuice nuzzled her cheek.  
"You can still call me BJ. My name used to be and will be Blake Johnson."  
Lydia giggled.  
"Clever Beej, real clever."

From the doorway, Adam and Barbara smiled happily at the two lovers. It had taken years of pain and confusion…but the two most unlikely people had finally found their way to each other.

(TADA!!!!!!! YAY! Hope you liked! I plan on writing a cartoon-based fanfic sometime soon, so heads up on that! YAY FOR THE FLUFF! Heehee)


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